The sharing economy, Internet Governance, children's digital rights, net neutrality and content regulation are examples of core governance issues explored in-depth at IIC meetings and in InterMedia articles. Governance of the telecoms media and technology sector is at the heart of what the IIC does.
European regulators body publishes plan for 2019/20 BEREC, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, has released a number of documents and consultations, including its “highly anticipated” opinion on the EU net neutrality regulation and guidelines.
Policy choices for sustained investment and innovation at the network, service and applications level. This talk took place on Wednesday 27th May 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Miami.
This talk took place on Wednesday 27th May 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Miami.
This talk took place on Wednesday 27th May 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Miami.
This talk took place on Tuesday 17th March 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Brussels.
This talk took place on Tuesday 17th March 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Brussels.
What are the priorities for regulators, industry and civil society? This talk took place on Wednesday 18th March 2015 as part of the IIC Telecommunications & Media Forum in Brussels.
Implications for a Communications Act re-write.
Policy updates from across the Americas.
Karim Lesina, Vice President, International External Affairs, EU, Caribbean, Central and Latin America, Trans-Atlantic Relations, AT&T, addresses delegates at the 2014 TMF in Miami.
Roberto Viola (Deputy Director General, DG Connect, European Commission) is interviewed by the IIC President, Fabio Colasanti, on the occasion of the IIC's Telecommunications and Media Forum in Miami, USA, May 2014.
20 years ago, what is now regarded as one of the major threats facing the developed world was then confined to sci-fi movies.
2018 could be a watershed year for the telecommunications industry and EU regulation. Francesco Liberatore Chair of the Brussels Chapter, and associate Matthew Buckwell of Squire Patton Boggs consider the top 10 EU regulatory developments
MARTIN GEDDES describes how regulators can shape up to meet the realities of the digital age and give users broadband services that are fit for purpose
July 2018, Volume 46 Issue 2
In the second article on platforms in this issue, VICKI NASH and MARK BUNTING take a practical look at the role for policymakers in more effective oversight
July 2018, Volume 46 Issue 2
Operators, governments and regulators face new challenges in coming to terms with Africa’s emerging digital services sector, writes RUSSELL SOUTHWOOD
July 2018, Volume 46 Issue 2
Does zero-rating harm competition? It’s a key question in the net neutrality debate. TIM HOGG takes a behavioural economics approach to finding the answer
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
To get the broadband infrastructure and consumer benefit that are needed, regulators have to abandon the short-term thinking that can stifle new entrants and investment, argue RICHARD CADMAN, JONATHAN KINGAN and GITA SORENSEN
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
Developing global digital governance structures that could actually work is the subject of an important book reviewed by RICARDO TAVARES
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
Protecting the online rights of children in the commercial sphere has become a pressing issue for policymakers, as UNICEF’s PATRICK GEARY explains.
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
ANTONIO GARCIA ZABALLOS of the Inter-American Development Bank discusses shortcomings in Latin America and the Caribbean that could hold up investment.
January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4
How should we define the digital economy and what are its policy implications? MARI PANGESTU and PETER LOVELOCK provide an Asia-Pacific perspective.
January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4
Thanks to big increases in computing power, artificial intelligence has now become a legal and regulatory concern. MARC BEISHON weighs up the evidence for intervention.
January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4
Are digital technologies making politics impossible? It’s a question addressed by political scientist STEVEN MICHELS - who is not optimistic.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
How much does politics shape competition and regulation in the mobile industry? Quite a lot, as MARC BEISHON finds in a paper that takes a deep dive into the issue.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
Today’s media and communications world needs a fundamental set of principles to help policymakers determine public value. ROBERT PICARD and VICTOR PICKARD have just such a global set to hand.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
The IIC’s first TMF of 2017 was held in Doha, with OTT and IoT issues to the fore, as CRISTINA MURRONI reports.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
Digital transformation poses great challenges for developing inclusive, affordable services for all Africans - with regulators now under considerable pressure, reports RUSSELL SOUTHWOOD.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
In part two of his discussion of the ‘myth of 5G’, WILLIAM WEBB examines regulatory factors, spectrum issues and whether fixed-wireless access will be more than a promise - plus scenarios for the next few years
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
Most of the visions for 5G are not based on what we really need, says WILLIAM WEBB. Here he examines what problems we are trying to solve and why Wi-Fi is as important as cellular networks.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
Canada’s CRTC and the IIC kicked off discussion on international efforts to combat unwanted communications, as STEVEN HARROUN explains.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
Setting out a framework for coherent policy and regulation for the digital economy is our major challenge, especially for countries outside of the EU and US, writes RAINER SCHNEPFLEITNER.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
How can policymakers make sense of the impact of online platforms? CHRISTIAN HILDEBRANDT and RENÉ ARNOLD put forward a model that covers the complex dimensions.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
With so much equity tied up in the world’s housing stock it makes sense to direct a proportion towards stalled fibre broadband rollouts, argues RICHARD FEASEY.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
Behavioural economics is becoming popular because it promises to improve competition and consumer outcomes. But asTIM HOGG asks, is it a paradigm shift, a passing fad - or somewhere in between?
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
Canada has embarked on an ambitious universal broadband policy that could be a model for other countries, as HEATHER HUDSON details.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
GEORG SERENTSCHY sets out the agenda for Europe in 2017, which looks likely to be critical in developing aspirations for the digital single market.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
Connected and autonomous vehicles will be leading users of the internet of things and 5G technologies. But almost all of today’s societal and regulatory issues will converge on road transport, as Julian McGougan reports.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
Telecoms operators have missed the platforms boat but hope to regain ground with network virtualisation. RICHARD FEASEY discusses the technology and regulatory implications of a powerful but potentially double-edged movement.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is much more than a UN talking shop and has the potential to be a key political networking body, reckons WOLFGANG KLEINWÄCHTER, who reports from the 11th IGF in Guadalajara.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
We shouldn’t be complacent that the regulatory approaches of today will be enough to support innovators in the era of the internet of things, says JEREMY GODFREY.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
Rene Arnold and Anna Schneider explore the level playing field debate on OTT services from a consumer perspective.
October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03
How should policy and regulation adapt to times of rapidly changing convergence? Jean-Jacques Sahel shapes the discussion.
October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03
Once again, the competing discourses of freedom of expression and national security are in play, as Monroe Price discusses in the context of global media policy.
October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03
Should we be striving for the ‘level playing field’ with regulation of innovative, next-generation communications? Brian Williamson makes a strong case for setting them free.
October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03
How is media policy and regulation developing in a world moving from broadcasting to audiovisual content on many platforms? Joan Barata presents the agenda.
October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03
Peter Alexiadis concludes his tour of the trade-offs inherent in communications regulation.
July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02
As more people, especially the less well off, have only a smartphone to access the internet, there are signs that a new type of digital divide could develop. Ofcom’s Alison Preston describes new research carried out in the UK.
July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02
As the OECD prepares for a ministerial meeting on the digital economy, Jørgen Abild Andersen argues that the highest level of coordination among many government departments is needed to deliver its aims
April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01
With ulf pehrsson, Ericsson's head of government and industry relations
April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01
As regulators start to fundamentally review their remits, Chris Chapman, the incoming president of the IIC and chair of Australia’s ACMA, details the extent of digital disruption and possible regulatory response, in this two-part article.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
In part two of this briefing on the internet of things, Ian Brownn discusses the regulatory actions that could be necessary in this diverse technology sector.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
Taking the current European reform as model, Monica Ariño puts forward three key pillars for regulatory framework reform in pursuit of convergence.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
Ian Hargreaves pieces together projects and evidence that are defining a crucial, technology driven sector of the economy.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
The internet governance calendar is more packed than ever. Wolfgang Kleinwachter charts the key events that could shape an agenda for 2025.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
Georg Serentschy develops the regulatory picture in Europe and argues for a much more ambitious agenda for investment.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
Fatima Barros, chair of Portugal’s regulator, Anacom, and also BEREC
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
The modern sharing economy is small but growing - and enabled by the internet. John Ure discusses its possible impact and where regulation may be heading, with particular reference to Asia.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
The rise of content and media intermediaries such as Google and Facebook as digital gatekeepers raises major policy and regulation concerns, writes Robin Mansell.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
Continuing our coverage of spectrum auctions, Stefan Zehle explores further the pitfalls and implications for the public purse, drawing on key examples from the past decade.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
Matt Hatton reviews the main regulatory trends in the world of M2M and the internet of things.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
President of the Dutch Media Authority.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
The growing interest in using pilotless drone aircraft is bringing new regulatory challenges, writes Leonidas Kanellos.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Sumit Sharma extends the argument for using competition policy rather than regulation for convergent networks by looking at oligopoly models.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
H Sama Nwana makes a passionate case for promoting TMT and not just telecoms in Africa – a case that could benefit all developing nations.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Jonathan Jacob Nadler says the FCC’s new Open Internet Remand Order makes five fundamental changes, faces five legal challenges – and will have five unintended consequences.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Universal access and service programmes are vital to extending broadband to all parts of a country. Antonio GarcIa Zaballos discusses the findings of a comparative report.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
With pressure mounting for new personal data privacy rules, Nancy Libin and Joshua Bercu assess the current state of play in the US and EU.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Trends in internet video services are becoming apparent, and regulatory and competition agencies need to respond, as Augusto preta reports.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
One of the world’s bellwether regulators has announced a surprise strategic review. Tom Kiedrowski discusses what’s behind it.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Commissioner, Mexico’s IFT
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
How can ICT best be deployed to advance the new Sustainable Development Goals? M-H Carolyn Nguyen and Paul Mitchell review the history and current position.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
The EU framework review has trade-offs that can't be ignored in communications policy, writes Peter Alexiadis in part one of an analysis of the issues.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
In part one of this briefing, Ian Brown sets the scene for the regulatory issues that are rapidly arriving for the internet of things.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
How can children gain vital literacy skills in today's internet, mobile phone and video game era? Aviva Silver says it's about storytelling.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
How will blockchain technology impact telecoms policy? DAVE MICHELS is your guide to this much-hyped technology and its applications.
December/January 2019, Volume 46 Issue 4
With the rise of OTT there's no doubt we are in the midst of transition in telecoms markets - but how best to respond, asks Brian Williamson.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
Jerry Power says regulation must change to promote digital ecosystems.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
Stuart Brotman puts forward an index that captures the ‘vitality’ of broadband internet ecosystems in five countries, and which could be a benchmarking model.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
More than 10 years ago, as the move to digital took off, there was much debate about using a layered regulatory model to mirror the new world. Now, write IVOR KING and DEREK WILDING, it’s making a comeback in Australia. But does it have merit?
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
Online platforms are placing great pressure on safeguards to democracy, and legal remedies are on the stocks. As KRISZTINA ROZGONYI discusses, there is a pressing need for a new generation of media regulators to implement rules and build trust
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
Data privacy is rightly among the biggest concerns in the digital age but, as DANIEL SEPULVEDA argues from the industry perspective, a regulatory balance is needed between protection and the success of a data-driven economy.
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
Is much of current policy based on received wisdom and not rigorous evidence? Roslyn Layton sets out several areas where this may well be so
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
The major digital platforms face a crisis in trust from authorities and the public. TERRY FLEW takes a tour around the options for granting them probation
July 2018, Volume 46 Issue 2
Women have major barriers to reaching the top in ICT careers, and in just accessing technology in some countries – and all women face both offline and online violence, says ADRIANA LABARDINI INZUNZA.
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
How should telecoms regulators pave the way for the digital economy? JUAN MANUEL WILCHES at Colombia’s regulator says a change of mindset is needed.
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
South Africa and other nations are under pressure to allocate spectrum by auctions but, as CHARLEY LEWIS details, it is important to take stock of what has gone right and wrong so far.
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
DAMIAN TAMBINI says the first step in reining in platform power is to set up independent, cross-party, civil society commissions supported by governments
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
Big data, the driving force of platforms, is raising fundamental – and puzzling – issues about our current view of free market capitalism, as ANTONIO NICITA writes.
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
Nations tend to keep a closer hold of telecoms industry regulation than in other sectors, even in Europe. It’s why the UK’s imminent exit from the European Union won’t impact its telecoms sector too much, as IAN WALDEN explains.
December/January 2019, Volume 46 Issue 4
A review by Dame Frances Cairncross into the sustainability of high-quality journalism in the UK has been published, making proposals “designed to encourage new models to emerge, with the help of innovation not just in technology but in business systems and journalistic techniques”.
The EU Electronic Communications Code (EECC) is a new directive consolidating and reforming the framework for the regulation of electronic communications services and networks across the EEA. Member states must adapt their existing telecommunications regulations in accordance with the EECC by 2020.
The advocate general of the European Court of Justice has given his opinion on the “right to be forgotten” conflict between France and Google, and the opinion is relatively simple: France does not have the right to impose its own considerations on a company which operates outside its jurisdiction, notes Telecoms.com.
Most online video streaming platforms in India have agreed to a code of self-regulation that may receive endorsement from the country’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry, reports the Economic Times.
Deutsche Telekom has become the latest operator to file a lawsuit against the conditions for participating in Germany’s 5G mobile spectrum auction, which is scheduled to take place in the spring, notes TeleGeography.
As of Dec. 21, 2020, the obligations of the current ePrivacy Directive will apply to instant messaging applications, email, internet phone calls and personal messaging provided through social media — collectively, over-the-top services — in addition to traditional telecom providers.
Chris Chapman, President of the IIC and the inaugural Chair of the ACMA – December 2018
ANCOM, Romania’s regulator, has launched for public consultation an “action plan” for 2019, with Sorin Grindeanu, ANCOM’s president, saying: “New challenges lie ahead of ANCOM in 2019, with the organisation of the 5G auction as a main project.
According to website, International Law Office, the Chinese government’s growing concerns about certain aspects of blockchain have triggered a number of recent regulatory responses. For example, in June 2018 the government learned of a vaccine scandal in which improper wording was allegedly uploaded to Ethereum (a type of blockchain).
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has published preliminary recommendations in its digital platforms inquiry, which is covering Google, Facebook and the Australian news and advertising industries. The report contains 11 preliminary recommendations and eight areas for further analysis as the inquiry continues.
BEREC, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, has released a number of documents and consultations, including its “highly anticipated” opinion on the EU net neutrality regulation and guidelines.
The European Commission (EC) has published a plan prepared with member states to foster the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. It focuses on four areas: increasing investment, making more data available, fostering talent and ensuring trust.
The European Council has given final sign-off on the EU’s Electronic Communications Code, which imposes price caps, tougher security procedures and spectrum allocation rules that will enhance 5G deployment, notes mobile World Live.
Australian telecoms industry group, the Communications Alliance, says it is concerned over a government proposal for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to oversee the complaints body, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), reports Computerworld. “Industry has never controlled the TIO – nor should we,” Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said.
The LSE Truth, Trust and Technology Commission at the London School of Economics has published a report, “Tackling the information crisis”, in which the key proposal is for an independent platform agency for the UK that would be a watchdog – rather than a regulator...
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called on leaders of Asia-Pacific economies to do much more to shape rules for emerging areas in the digital economy, such as electronic payments and digital identity, reports the Straits Times.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has re-started the debate on regulating over the top (OTT) services such as WhatsApp and Skype by issuing a consultation paper, “Regulatory framework for OTT communication services”. “This consultation paper seeks to analyse and discuss the implications of the growth of OTT services…
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has announced that it will begin a market inquiry into mobile broadband services, reports BusinessTech. “In a statement on 16 November, Icasa said that the purpose of the inquiry is to assess the state of competition and determine whether or not there are markets or market segments within the mobile broadband services value chain which may warrant regulation.
Belgium’s ethics committee for the telecoms sector, which regulates the use of premium numbers and paid SMS services, has issued just five sanctions from a total of 1,109 complaints received in the past five years, notes Telecompaper.
French president Emmanuel Macron has insisted that new laws are needed to limit and protect online content and the internet itself, reports the Register. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Paris, Macron made repeated calls for additional regulation, and complained about the “false alternative” of self-regulation or government control.
The European Parliament has voted in favour of establishing the European Electronic Communications Code and an enhanced mandate for the body of European regulators (BEREC), as proposed by the European Commission in September 2016, as part of the digital single market strategy.
According to a 12-month report into the ACMA’s actions under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, thirty-three prominent offshore wagering sites have withdrawn from Australian markets over a 12 month period.
It was only going to be a matter of time, but the telco industry is taking California to court over the decision to reinstate net neutrality rules, reports Telecoms.com.
Algeria’s posts and electronic communications regulatory body (Autorité de régulation de la poste et des communications électroniques, ARPCE) and Sudan’s telecoms regulatory agency (Autorité de régulation de la poste et des télécommunications, ARPT) have signed a partnership agreement during the sixteenth annual session of Arab Regulators Network held on October 1-4, 2018...
Ofcom, the UK regulator, has received £700k from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to explore how blockchain technology could improve how UK landline telephone numbers are managed.
Giovanni Buttarelli, the European Data Protection Supervisor, has written that a “swarm of misinformation and misunderstanding surrounds the case for revising our rules on the confidentiality of electronic communications, otherwise known as e-privacy.
Europe’s telecoms CEOs have issued their latest vision for Europe’s next policy agenda, via the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO), highlighting that with 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) at the doorstep, “the network and services landscape is about to be revolutionised.
Online platforms and the advertising industry have sent individual roadmaps to European commissioner for digital economy and society, Mariya Gabriel, which will put in practice a self-regulatory code of practice to fight online disinformation, which was published on 26 September 2018.
Google has announced changes to how it licenses the Android operating system to comply with the European Commission’s decision that its current agreements violate competition law, notes Telecompaper.
The European Commission is set to approve rules for the use of Wi-Fi in cars, giving Volkswagen and Renault who have pursued this technology the edge over Daimler and others who invested in rival 5G networks, reports Reuters.
Nearly half of all cellphone calls in the US next year will come from scammers, according to First Orion, a company that provides phone carriers and their customers caller ID and call blocking technology. The Washington Post reports that the company “projects an explosion of incoming spam calls, marking a leap from 3.7% of total calls in 2017 to more than 29% this year, to a projected 45% by early 2019”
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to reduce the scope of consultation for the proposed regulatory framework for over the top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp and Skype, according to a report by Live Mint.
A report from the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), “Liability of online hosting platforms: should exceptionalism end?”, explores whether online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube benefit from a “liability free pass”.
UK ministers have started drafting proposals for new laws to regulate social media and the internet, according to the Daily Telegraph. “The move has been prompted by widespread consumer concerns over a range of online harms including child abuse, bullying, fake news and internet addiction.
Mozilla, the developer of the Firefox browser, has filed a legal brief against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the telecoms regulator of abdicating its role, ignoring public comments and failing to understand how the internet actually works, notes the Register.
Germany, seeking to rein in internet giants like Google and Facebook, plans to bolster the powers of its competition watchdog to prevent such companies from becoming monopolies even before they achieve scale, reports Reuters.
Controversial new copyright laws have been approved by members of the European Parliament, with changes made since July when the first version of the copyright directive was voted down. But critics say it remains problematic, reports the BBC.
Members of the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and the Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA) met on 3 Sep 2018 in Hong Kong to discuss the HK Securities and Financial Commission (FSC's) request for information around cloud and data storage.
Indonesian regulators from the Ministry of Information and Communication (Kominfo), Bank Indonesia (BI), Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the telecommunications regulator (BRTI), met with industry representatives from the cloud computing industry in various meetings between 5-6 Sep 2018.
The proposal for a Regulation on Free Flow of Data was agreed in trilogue negotiations on 19 June 2018, only after a few weeks of negotiations.
Amid concerns about increasingly sophisticated online threats, Singapore and France have pledged to beef up cooperation on cybersecurity and exchange ideas on regulatory approaches to safeguarding user data in the digital sphere.
European data regulators have torn up the latest proposal by internet overseer ICANN over its Whois data service, sending the organisation back to the drawing board for a third time, notes the Register.
Three major internet service providers in the UK have said they would back a regulator to oversee rules for web giants – but warned lawmakers not to forget smaller firms or the bigger picture, reports the Register.
A human rights campaigner has urged the Malaysian government to form a taskforce of officials and concerned citizens for discussions on changes to the Communications and Multimedia Act, reports Free Malaysia Today.
Romania's telecoms authority, Ancom, has opened a consultation on a draft decision for setting the maximum tariffs to be charged on operators exercising the right of access to state-owned public property, notes Telecompaper.
Algeria’s telecoms regulator has changed its name from the Authority for Regulation of Post and Telecoms (Autorite de Regulation de la Poste et des Telecoms, ARPT) to the Authority for Regulation of Post and Electronic Communications (Autorite de Regulation de la Poste et des Communications Electroniques, ARPCE).
Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, has called for regulation of facial recognition software in the US, reports VentureBeat. “In a democratic republic, there is no substitute for decision making by our elected representatives regarding the issues that require the balancing of public safety with the essence of our democratic freedoms.
Germany’s top telecoms regulator has set its sights on US technology groups such as Google and Facebook, insisting that providers of messaging and email services should be regulated just like ordinary telecoms companies, reports the Financial Times.
Eight months after India’s telecoms regulator came out swinging heavily in favour of the principle of net neutrality, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has finally agreed to adopt the same, reports the Wire.
The chief executive of UK regulator Ofcom, Sharon White, has warned regulatory action may be on its way for social media sites that publish news, in a move that brings the platform or publisher debate to the fore.
A British thinktank has issued proposals for a radical overhaul of regulation of the technology sector, which it argues is “unfit for purpose, incentivises bad behaviour and has failed to address ethical questions about big data and its use”.
On 6 June 2018, the EU Council and Parliament reached a political agreement on the EECC. The EU Commission’s legal services will now finalise the text of the EECC to reflect this political agreement. Formal adoption and publication of the EECC in the Official Journal of the European Union are expected in December 2018.
Bundesnetzagentur (BNetZa), the German multisector regulator, marked its 20th anniversary with an event in Bonn at which Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel gave the anniversary address.
“We started out 20 years ago as a regulatory authority. Today, we are the most important infrastructure authority in Germany,” said Jochen Homann, BNetZa president.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has published a digital report on the future of broadcasting in Canada. The report proposes new tools and regulatory approaches to support the production and promotion of audio and video content made by and for Canadians.
AT&T has given up its years-long quest to hinder the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) authority to regulate broadband providers, reports Ars Technica.
Vodafone could launch a legal challenge against Germany’s national telecoms regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), which wants the operator to extend a zero-rated offer in the country to the whole of the EU in line with roaming regulations, reports Mobile World Live.
The Colombian government has formally withdrawn an October 2017 bill seeking to merge two of the country’s regulatory bodies, TeleGeography reports.
India’s Department of Telecom has issued a notification on Tuesday saying that internet telephony services are “untethered from the underlying access network”.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has reduced local mobile data and internet charges after concluding a cost modelling exercise for telecommunication network services in the country covering mobile, fixed and internet access networks, reports AllAfrica.
RS Sharma, chair of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Johannes Gungl, chair of European regulators body, BEREC, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which they advocate for effective electronic communications regulation.
Arcep, France’s regulator, has issued its “scoreboard and outlook” document for public consultation, which traditionally marks the start of a new round of market analysis,...
The Isle of Man – the territory that lies between the UK and Ireland – is taking a new communications bill through its legislative process.
UK regulator, Ofcom, has issued two documents of wider interest. The first is an assessment of competition in wholesale broadband access markets, under which services in these markets are bought by telecoms providers to supply retail broadband services to residential and business consumers.
The European Data Protection Supervisor, Giovanni Buttarelli, has set an agenda to tackle the “unbalanced ecosystem” being created in the digital economy. In a blog post, he has strong words for the big platform players: “The digital information ecosystem farms people for their attention, ideas and data in exchange for so called ‘free’ services.
Kosovo’s telecoms watchdog, the Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (ARKEP), has approved new regulations that look to shore up consumers’ rights and update existing rules to ensure net neutrality, notes TeleGeography.
Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved a proposal to merge the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (Baz) and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) in a development meant to foster technological convergence, reports the Chronicle.
The European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) has sent an open letter to the EU to share its concern that the EU’s vision for a connected digital single market “risks being stopped dead in its tracks before it can effectively take off”.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) National Assembly has adopted a new Telecommunications Act to update the nation’s aging legal framework for the sector, bring the rules in line with the country’s needs and to align with other relevant legislation, notes TeleGeography.
Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been billed as the biggest shake-up of data privacy laws since the birth of the web, notes Reuters.
The US Senate has voted 52-47 to disapprove the FCC’s recent order replacing 2015’s net neutrality rules, “a pleasant surprise for internet advocates and consumers throughout the country”, reports TechCrunch.
On 3 April 2018, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), along with 93 civil society organisations from across the globe, sent a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, requesting transparency and meaningful civil society participation in the Council of Europe’s negotiations of the draft Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime...
The UK House of Lords Communications Committee has invited contributions to an inquiry on the regulation of the internet, under which the Committee will explore how the regulation of the internet should be improved, and whether specific regulation is required or whether the existing law is adequate.
A paper published by Brookings looks at the importance of cross-border data flows, taking Asia as a model, and why they need regulating to stimulate the digital economy.
The European Commission is proposing “a three-pronged approach to increase public and private investment in artificial intelligence (AI), prepare for socioeconomic changes, and ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework.”
The National Media Council (NMC), the federal authority tasked with supervising all media activities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has recently issued electronic media activity regulations, notes law firm Clyde&Co.
The GSMA has put forward a series of regulatory and public policy proposals to boost Colombia’s digital economy ahead of next month’s presidential elections, reports Telecompaper.
On 25 May the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force for the 28 member states, but the impact is already far wider as the regulation affects any organisation that keeps data on an EU citizen, which includes all the global internet giants.
The Falkland Islands, one of the more remote territories, now has a communications regulator in place in Susannah Nightingale, who has published the first regulator's annual report.
Susan Crawford, the Harvard law professor and proponent of public telecoms investment, has used her latest column in Wired to attack privatisation of public assets.
Anacom, the Portuguese telecoms regulator, has accused the country’s main operators of violating European Union rules on net neutrality, reports Reuters.
Approval by the ACM (Dutch competition authority) of KPN’s acquisition of fibre operator Reggefiber was upheld by the Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal in February 2018 – and as a commentary in JD Supra says, in assessing the merger’s competitive effects, “the tribunal notably considered regulatory measures adopted pursuant to sector-specific telecoms regulation”.
A US federal appeals court has rolled back rules intended to deter irritating telemarketing robocalls, saying they were too broad, notes the Washington Post.
Sharon White, head of the UK’s converged regulator, Ofcom, has set out the challenges to public service broadcasters (PSBs) in a speech.
The Guardian reports a paper, published in the journal Science, in which MIT researchers describe an analysis of a vast amount of Twitter data: more than 125,000 stories, tweeted more than 4.5 million times in total, all categorised as being true or false by at least one of six independent fact-checking organisations.
The Italian competition authority (AGCM) has carried out a first enforcement initiative on influencer marketing, “one of the most innovative and powerful advertising tools”. The initiative aims to prevent the circulation through social networks of messages whose commercial intent is not clear.
As expected, Somalia’s government has decided to set up the country’s first regulatory body for the telecoms sector, the National Communications Authority, notes Mobile World Live.
Turkey will expand the powers of its radio and television watchdog to include overseeing online content providers, under a draft law submitted to parliament on which the main opposition party said amounted to digital censorship, reports Reuters.
The French government has proposed legislation on cybersecurity that requires telecoms operators and online service providers to play a more active role in protecting the country's communications, reports Telecompaper.
The Tunisian telecom authority INT (Instance Nationale des Telecommunications) has published a summary of its main priorities for 2018, which include a number of new initiatives alongside its ongoing activities in the areas of consumer protection, quality of service, and regulation of wholesale broadband offers, notes Telecompaper.
French communications regulator, Arcep, has urged Europe-wide action to force manufacturers to reverse policies on handsets, tablets and smart speakers perceived to be limiting internet freedom, reports Mobile World Live.
Cyril Ramaphosa, the new president of South Africa, included the following in his state of the nation address: “Our prosperity as a nation depends on our ability to take full advantage rapid technological change. This means that we urgently need to develop our capabilities in the areas of science, technology and innovation.
The European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO) has warned that the current negotiations on the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) may “result in a worsened climate for digital growth”...
New Government-approved changes will make for a more efficient and transparent management framework in Australia.
Australian agencies and organisations will be obligated by law to report data breaches under the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme from 22 February 2018.
The Dutch government says it will come out this year with a strategy to help entrepreneurs and people in the Netherlands to benefit from the digital economy, notes Telecompaper. Secretary of State Mona Keijzer stated in an opinion that digitisation is not only about economics, but also touches on relationships in society, on safety and on accessibility.
The US FCC has issued a plan for a new Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA), part of reforms for the agency in organisational structures, authorities, and practices “to better incorporate economic analysis as well as data management as part of the agency’s regular operation”.
UK regulator, Ofcom, has issued its “International communications market report 2017”, which includes a section on regulatory context.
The UAE's telecoms regulator has clarified that there is no change in its policy towards voice over internet protocol (VoIP) applications, following complaints by users that phone and video service Skype had been disrupted, reports The National.
A group of 21 US state attorney generals have filed suit to challenge the FCC’s decision to do away with net neutrality while Democrats said they needed just one more vote in the Senate to repeal the FCC ruling, reports Reuters.
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