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.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has appointed Mercy Wanjau as acting director-general to replace Francis Wangusi whose tenure has ended. The board of directors chair, Ngene Gituku, said the appointment has been made to ensure that CA continues to discharge its mandate seamlessly.
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
Tough regulation might benefit consumers. It will certainly benefit platforms.
The potential of AI will only be realised with proper public consent
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
BRIAN WILLIAMSON continues our discussion of online platforms by highlighting appropriate policy and regulation that balances benefits and harms.
October 2019, Volume 47 Issue 3
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
There is no more important concern in the global digital community than the wellbeing of children. SONIA LIVINGSTONE, who leads the Global Kids Online project, presents the latest evidence for a holistic approach for the digital age.
October 2019, Volume 47 Issue 3
Jerry Power says regulation must change to promote digital ecosystems.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
Countries are concentrating regulatory and competition law functions in a smaller number of agencies, including combining telecoms with other utility sectors. PETER ALEXIADIS examines the approaches in the first of a two part analysis.
April 2019, Volume 47 Issue 1
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
Policymakers have reached a stage in broadband development where they should be thinking of deploying bandwidth in abundance as part of next-generation national broadband plans. BLAIR LEVIN discusses the policy drivers.
April 2019, Volume 47 Issue 1
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
The technology giants have concentrated power in too few hands, writes SÉBASTIEN SORIANO, chairman of France’s regulator, Arcep. He proposes ‘Robin Hood’ style regulation to redistribute internet wealth to the many.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
The challenges that regulators in small nations face are as diverse as the jurisdictions they regulate. Gibraltar’s STEWART BRITTENDEN finds some common ground.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
The UK has been a world leader in sector regulation but the current model is facing scrutiny. BT’s CATHRYN ROSS charts the challenges and finds reasons for optimism.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
In part two of his extensive analysis of regulatory and competition law organisation, PETER ALEXIADIS discusses the rise of the ‘super-regulator’, regulatory independence, and centralised vs local organisation, with the EU as the key reference.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
Europe has fallen behind in the ‘4th industrial revolution’ and the digital economy. The need for digital industrial policy is recognised but, as HARALD GRUBER describes, policymakers need to work quickly to correct market failures.
October 2019, Volume 47 Issue 3
STEPHEN UNGER compares a landmark regulatory decision about the Carterfone in the US with debate on one of today’s major issues, artificial intelligence, and finds parallels with the need to ensure that evidence for regulation is robust.
October 2019, Volume 47 Issue 3
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has appointed Mercy Wanjau as acting director-general to replace Francis Wangusi whose tenure has ended. The board of directors chair, Ngene Gituku, said the appointment has been made to ensure that CA continues to discharge its mandate seamlessly.
A paper in the Journal of Common Market Studies, titled “Networks as ‘first best’? Network entrepreneurship and venue shifting in the establishment of the network of Euro‐Mediterranean energy regulators, considers that regulatory networks are usually considered a “second best” instrument of policy integration.
The organisations responsible for enforcing the Accessible Canada Act have announced the establishment of the Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies. The Accessible Canada Act, which became law in June 2019, requires member organisations of the council to work collaboratively to refer federal accessibility complaints to the right organisation and to foster complementary policies and practices.
France’s communications regulator, Arcep, has brought together more than 20 representatives of national authorities from 15 European Union member states to outline the planned terms and procedure for awarding spectrum in the 3490–3800 GHz band in metropolitan France, and to elicit their feedback.
The next president of the European Commission has steeled Europe for battles with Donald Trump over trade and tech regulation, handing more powers to the bloc’s top antitrust enforcer and urging Brussels to be robust in dealing with global rivals including China, reports the Financial Times.
Egyptian ICT minister, Amr Talaat, has inaugurated a national ICT monitoring centre, which is affiliated with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), notes Ecofin. “With this new development, the Egyptian government is confirming its ambition to improve the quality of telecoms and internet services provided to citizens..."
Several French regulators – the competition authority, AMF, Arafer, Arcep, CNIL, CRE and CSA – have held a meeting to draw up a memorandum on data-driven regulation, which they say “creates the ability to make stakeholders more accountable, increases the regulator’s capacity for analysis and makes more information available to users and civil society”.
Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore and the regulator, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), have joined forces to establish Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), to better support and capitalise on the growth opportunities for Singapore’s technology sector.
A 19 month project with over 190 expert missions to Georgia comprising Lithuanian, German and Polish experts has helped define secondary legislation and guidelines on communications in line with EU standards for the country.
Germany has completed the clearance of the 700 MHz band, which had previously been used by broadcasters, with operators now free to use the bandwidth to improve coverage, reports Mobile World Live.
The Citizen Lab, based at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, has commented on two reports issued by United Nations Special Rapporteurs “that demonstrate the dangerous effects of unchecked technology in the hands of autocrats”...
Removing extremist groups from social media is an effective way of destroying their fan bases, according to a study by the Global Research Network on Terrorism and Technology. As the National reports, the researchers found that radical groups do not necessarily thrive on alternative platforms once they have been removed from the mainstream.
The European Commission has launched the pilot phase of its ethics guidelines for trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). At the first AI Alliance Assembly, held in Brussels, the High-Level Expert Group on AI announced two developments, including an assessment list for trustworthy AI, developed by a group of 52 independent experts.
Mauritania's small population and low economic output has limited the country’s ability to develop sustained growth, notes Developing Telecoms, citing a report by Research & Markets. “There are also practical challenges relating to transparency and tax burdens which have hindered foreign investment.
The Brazilian Senate has approved a proposal to add protection of data in digital platforms to the list of fundamental rights and individual citizen guarantees set out in the country's constitution, reports ZDNet.
A 19 month project with over 190 expert missions to Georgia comprising Lithuanian, German and Polish experts has helped define secondary legislation and guidelines on communications in line with EU standards for the country.
An article in Wired notes that after revelations about how law enforcement agencies in the US have deployed facial recognition, “Congress seemed, for a moment, galvanised to act".
Ofcom, the UK regulator, has announced a range of measures “to ensure that public service broadcasters (PSBs) continue to deliver high-quality content for UK viewers and listeners”.
The FCC in the US is taking steps to improve broadband deployment and competition in the nation’s apartment buildings, condominium complexes and office buildings (known as multiple tenant environments, or MTEs).
The Communications Service Proclamation has been adopted by the Ethiopian Parliament and introduces a number of major changes into the Ethiopian telecoms sector. Commentary from DLA Piper's telecoms team notes that the most important aspect of the proclamation is that it has liberalised the sector, which has been monopolised by the government for many decades.
Britain’s Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called for a new, independent regulator that can play “a crucial role in building trust in the digital economy”. It says that current proposals risk falling short of the UK government’s ambition to be the best and safest place to build a digital business.
On 13 June 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU“) published its ruling on the classification of Gmail in the EU following a request for a preliminary ruling from the German Courts. Gmail is a web-based email service, and is a type of “Over-The-Top” (“OTT”) service.
A proposal by the UK’s security agency, GCHQ, that would enable eavesdropping on encrypted chat services has been condemned as a “serious threat” to digital security and human rights, reports the Guardian. “In an open letter signed by more than 50 companies, civil society organisations and security experts – including Apple, WhatsApp, Liberty and Privacy International – GCHQ was called on to abandon its so-called ‘ghost protocol’, and instead focus on ‘protecting privacy rights, cybersecurity, public confidence, and transparency’.
A new domain plan to measure New Zealand’s ongoing evolution into a digital nation has been released by Stats NZ and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Government statistician, Liz MacPherson, says that the release of a digital nation domain plan is a step towards “making sure that we’re collecting essential data to track and understand how new and emerging technologies are affecting New Zealand.
Hadopi, the France’s copyright agency, and Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), France’s media regulator, have conducted a joint study on the connected speaker market, which is an issue for both institutions. These issues are also of interest to other regulatory authorities, including telecoms regulator, ARCEP, the competition authority, and CNIL, the data privacy agency, which contributed to the work.
The US House Judiciary Committee has launched an investigation into the market dominance of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, starting with a look at the impact of the tech giants’ platforms on news content, the media and the spread of misinformation online, reports Courthouse News.
The Cook Islands Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) has released a draft telecoms market competition policy for consultation. The Cook Islands has been serviced by a single operator, partly-owned by the government, under a legislated monopoly since 1989, with limited independent oversight.
The European Court of Justice (EJC) has ruled that Skype and similar voice over internet (VoIP) communications providers are subject to rules governing electronic communications services in some cases, following a dispute between the company and the Belgian telecoms regulator, notes Mobile World Live.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has launched a first call for applications for a broadband fund. The CRTC is accepting applications for projects in the Canadian territories and satellite-dependent communities, where there is a great need for improved broadband internet and mobile wireless services.
Everyone in the UK will have the legal right to request a decent and affordable broadband connection from March next year, the regulator, Ofcom, has confirmed. “We are implementing the UK government’s ‘universal broadband service’ – a safety net that will give eligible homes and businesses a legal right to request a decent connection.
Ajit Pai, chair of US regulator FCC, has commented on USTelecom’s release of broadband investment figures for 2018, and the FCC’s own 2019 broadband deployment report (which was reissued after problems with data), saying that “the latest evidence reaffirms that our policies are working..."
Sharon White , chief executive of UK regulator, Ofcom, is leaving to become chair of the John Lewis Partnership, a retail organisation. She is expected to leave by the end of the year.
Top artificial-intelligence researchers are racing to defuse an extraordinary political weapon: computer-generated fake videos that could undermine candidates and mislead voters during the 2020 presidential campaign, reports the Washington Post.
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has stepped up its efforts to reclaim spectrum from bankrupt cellco Aircel, demanding that the firm return its airwaves on the basis that the DoT is owed dues from the defunct provider, notes TeleGeography.
The EU should be “ready to act” should social values such as “privacy, freedom and fairness” be under threat from expanding digital monopolies, the bloc’s competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, has said, reports EurActiv.
On 5 June 2019, the Court of Justice of the EU ("CJEU") published its ruling on the classification of SkypeOut in the EU following a request for a preliminary ruling from the Belgian Courts. Skype is a Voice over IP service ("VoIP") whereas the SkypeOut component is an interconnected VoIP service that allows the service to dial out to landline and mobile numbers.
San Francisco officials have voted to ban the use of facial recognition technology by city personnel, in a move to regulate tools that local Silicon Valley companies helped develop, reports Reuters.
Despite a lengthy process that started way back in the spring of 2018, US mobile operators Sprint and T-Mobile have agreed to extend the deadline for their proposed merger another 2 months until 29 June, reports Gizmodo.
Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has launched a public consultation to seek views from the industry and public on the appropriate regulatory frameworks and policies for 5G.
A report submitted to the French Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, and titled “Creating a French framework to make social media platforms more accountable: Acting in France with a European vision”, recommends that French authorities should have more access to Facebook’s algorithms to audit its policies on hate speech.
Rwanda’s government is aiming to regulate social media content, a move which is intended to curb the spread of misinformation, according to the minister for ICT and innovation, Paula Ingabire, as AllAfrica reports.
The US Federal Trade Commission has testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce about its efforts to protect consumers and promote competition.
The European Commission’s plan for a Wi-Fi-based standard for cars endorsed by Volkswagen faces a 2 month delay as EU countries wait for legal advice on the proposal, reports Reuters.
The ITU has approved a recommendation addressing the relationship between network operators and providers of over the top (OTT) applications. It says recommendation ITU-T D.262 “provides parameters for the analysis of the new economic dynamics of the ICT ecosystem and how policy and regulatory frameworks could promote competition, consumer protection, consumer benefits, dynamic innovation, sustainable investment and infrastructure development, accessibility and affordability in relation to the global growth of OTTs”.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) wants the government to identify spectrum being held by various departments and agencies for effective commercial application of the scarce natural resource, notes the Economic Times.
Sharon White, chief executive of Ofcom, the UK regulator, has said that the small number of equipment suppliers has created systemic risks to the country’s networks that may need to be addressed with regulation. She made the remarks amid tensions with the US over whether Britain will permit equipment from Chinese vendor Huawei to be used for next-generation 5G telecom services, reports Bloomberg.
Dutch regulator, ACM, plans to work on two themes concerning 5G, reports Telecompaper: the application of net neutrality and infrastructure sharing. “A spokesperson for the ACM said the application of net neutrality raises important questions for 5G and infrastructure sharing will become relevant again once operators start rolling out 5G networks.
Arcep, France’s regulator, has published a draft decision for public consultation on implementing an application programming interface (API), to be installed directly in operators’ boxes, for measuring the quality of fixed internet services.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has decided to oppose the proposed merger between TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA). The ACCC has concluded that it is likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of mobile services because the merger would preclude TPG entering as the fourth mobile network operator in Australia.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the primary privacy and data security enforcer in the US, has released its annual report highlighting its privacy and data security work for 2018.
BBC director-general Tony Hall has called for streamers and broadcasters to face the same regulation and highlighted what he says is the greater reach of the “pubcaster” compared with online rivals like Netflix, C21Media reports.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intends to move ahead with a plan to auction off wireless radio frequencies that scientists say could harm critical satellite data used in weather forecasting, a report in the Washington Post notes.
Tech giants have become increasingly dominant and ministers must open the market up to increase consumer choice and give people greater control over their data, an independent review for the UK government has advised.
The UK’s House of Lords has called for the creation of a digital super-regulator to oversee the different bodies charged with safeguarding the internet and replace the “clearly failing” system of self-regulation by big technology companies, reports the Guardian.
A report of the statutory review of the Defamation Act 2005 (the Act), which implements the Model Defamation Provisions (MDP) in NSW has covered key issues pertaining to Australian defamation law.
The UK government has issued a statement of strategic priorities (SSP) to provide the regulator, Ofcom, with context and guidance about the government’s policy priorities and desired outcomes in relation to telecoms, the management of radio spectrum and postal services.
Nearly 3 years after the EU net neutrality regulations came into effect, neither service providers nor national regulators have been role models in following the rules, a report has concluded, notes Telecoms.com.
The Philippines House of Representatives has unanimously approved House Bill 3437, which seeks to provide for an “online network establishment” (ONE) policy for the country. Principally authored by deputy speaker Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas, HB 3437 or the “ONE Philippines Act” hopes to minimise the so-called digital divide and speed up wireless communications technology in the country.
A survey commissioned by the NSPCC, a UK child protection charity, reveals that 9 out of 10 parents support the regulation of social networks to make them legally responsible for protecting children, and 6 out of 10 adults do not think social networks protect children from sexual grooming and inappropriate content like self-harm and suicide.
BEREC, the European regulators body, has run a public workshop to discuss the preparation of guidelines on intra-EU communication services.
Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has issued a new proclamation calling for the establishment of an independent federal government body to oversee the communications sector, as TeleGeography reports.
The final report in the UK of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee’s 18-month investigation into disinformation and fake news has accused Facebook of purposefully obstructing its inquiry and failing to tackle attempts by Russia to manipulate elections, reports the Guardian.
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.
Tell us how you'd like to stay informed about events, interviews and more from the IIC.