"This Open Access book examines the ambivalences of data power. Firstly, the ambivalences between global infrastructures and local invisibilities challenge the grand narrative of the ephemeral nature of a global data infrastructure. They make visible local working and living conditions, and the reso
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urces and arrangements required to operate and run them. Secondly, the book examines ambivalences between the state and data justice. It considers data justice in relation to state surveillance and data capitalism, and reflects on the ambivalences between an “entrepreneurial state” and a “welfare state”. Thirdly, the authors discuss ambivalences of everyday practices and collective action, in which civil society groups, communities, and movements try to position the interests of people against the “big players” in the tech industry." (Publisher description)
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"This report provides an overview of approaches and business models that are improving the affordability of handsets for various underserved populations in LMICs. It explores some of the nuances among these groups, considerations for meeting their different needs and variations between markets in Su
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b-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It also provides practical recommendations for stakeholders to make internet-enabled devices more affordable and an analysis of how the policy environment can contribute." (Executive summary, page 3)
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"The mobile industry has been instrumental in extending connectivity to people around the world. In 2021, the number of mobile internet subscribers reached 4.2 billion people globally. Operators’ investments in network infrastructure over the last decade have helped to shrink the coverage gap for
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mobile broadband networks from a third of the global population to just 6%. But although the industry continues to invest in innovative solutions and partnerships to extend connectivity to still underserved and far-flung communities, the adoption of mobile internet services has not kept pace with the expansion of network coverage. This has resulted in a significant usage gap. In 2021, the usage gap stood at 3.2 billion people, or 41% of the global population. The reasons for the usage gap are multifaceted and vary by region, but they generally relate to a lack of affordability, relevance, knowledge and skills, in addition to safety and security concerns. Furthermore, the barriers to mobile internet adoption are particularly acute among certain segments of the population, including women, the elderly, those in rural areas and persons with disabilities – or a combination thereof." (Executive summary)
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"Digital transformation must be made more inclusive if it is to contribute to realizing the SDGs. Deeper, fairer and inclusive digital transformation means that countries will enjoy important economic and social benefits, thus unlocking new opportunities, supporting economic growth, reducing poverty
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, improving public service delivery, and accelerating social protection programmes. This policy brief has offered inspiration from around the world. But ultimately, each country must take its own path. And while governments can act as stewards of digital transformation, all parts of society must collaborate for the greatest chance of success. Accelerating inclusive digital transformation demands a portfolio of interventions, and a holistic, whole-of-society approach to delivering them. This brief has outlined ten good practices that, when leveraged effectively, can set digital transformation efforts up for success. These practices should be selected carefully based on each country’s context - it is just as important for countries to decide what they will not focus on, because if everything is a priority then nothing is." (Conclusion, page 29)
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"The digital divide is not a problem the market alone will solve. We need to do things differently. Globally there is a growing movement of community connectivity providers — including community networks, municipal networks, cooperatives, and social enterprises — connecting underserved communiti
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es, often at faster speeds and lower prices than incumbent providers. These are the networks we need to promote, support, and invest in. Yet, almost all of them struggle to access capital. This is a nascent movement and the financial tools and capital stacks have not yet matured to meet the needs of these networks and the communities they serve. We now need to cultivate the financial infrastructure that will allow community connectivity providers to grow and scale. This report is designed to provide a foundation of understanding about what these providers look like, their various ownership and operating models, and how they can be financed sustainably. It is a practical tool for those who want to build networks and for funders and investors. The report’s 10 case studies show where and how community connectivity providers are already getting the job done and demonstrate how underserved communities can build their own internet infrastructure and take control of their digital futures. We hope this report will help more communities to achieve digital equity, catalyze more funding for community connectivity providers, and accelerate access to the internet and digital tools so that everyone can fully participate in our digitalizing world." (Foreword)
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"Joan Kristin Bleicher beleuchtet umfassend zentrale Aspekte der Medialität des Internets. Im Fokus stehen dabei nicht nur Rahmenbedingungen und die historische Entwicklung. Es werden auch Angebotsschwerpunkte, theoretische Fragen, Ästhetik, Nutzungs- und Wirkungspotenziale des Internets sowie Reg
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ulierungstendenzen thematisiert. Das Buch hat einführenden Charakter und richtet sich an Studierende der Medien-, Kultur- und Kommunikationswissenschaft. Es eignet sich auch für Interessierte anderer Fachrichtungen, die sich über dieses Schlüsselmedium unserer Zeit informieren möchten." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"This publication describes the many ways in which public authorities and private enterprises empower users against disinformation online. The first chapter sets the scene by discussing relevant concepts, such as mis-, dis- and malinformation, empowerment, and media literacy. It further discusses th
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e way in which disinformation affects users, why it has become such an issue, and how to measure it. Chapter 2 presents the international and EU legal and policy framework, with special emphasis on the different measures introduced by the European Union to fight disinformation. Chapter 3 covers responses at national level, highlights some examples of legislative and non-legislative responses to online disinformation in Europe, and shows how states are placing user empowerment at the centre of their approach to the issue. Chapter 4 focuses on self- and co-regulation, providing an overview of the Strengthened EU Code of Practice on Disinformation, delving into the role of national regulatory authorities, and looking at the practical implementation of measures by Big Tech platforms. Chapter 5 presents relevant judgments of both the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights in which they had to rule on cases that are connected, directly or indirectly, to the issue of disinformation. Wrapping up the publication, Chapter 6 presents stakeholders’ reactions to the 2022 Code and recent developments at EU level." (Foreword)
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"Satellite applications are being developed by an increasingly complex web of supplyside stakeholders and are being applied across a range of use cases in the life cycle of a humanitarian emergency. However, there is a limited body of evidence to offer humanitarians guidance on where satellite techn
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ology generates the best outcomes for affected populations due to the identified barriers. Now is the time for public and private sector stakeholders to act in order to increase the use of and impact derived from satellite applications in humanitarian assistance." (Executive summary, page 8)
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"This edited collection explores the role of digital inclusion in the welfare and social inclusion of vulnerable people. With interdisciplinary contributors from six continents, working in diverse fields such as digital media studies, social computing, community informatics and cultural studies, the
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collection brings together theoretical and applied research evidence on three vulnerable population categories: ethnic minorities, older people and people with disabilities. Each section is accompanied by a critical commentary on the research insights presented, from third sector community and policy experts. The collection explores whether vulnerable populations face similar experiences and challenges in relation to their digital inclusion status, stressing the central presence of intersectionality, and arguing for the inclusion of the age, ethnicity/immigration status and disability aspects of one's identity. At the same time, it argues for multi-directional action that tackles intersectional discrimination in the digital realm on behalf of more than one single population category or group. Challenging popular discourse on the overcoming of digital inequalities in the West, this essential book contends that accounts of non-western contexts do not focus on the parameter of vulnerability or on particular population groups." (Publisher description)
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"Worldwide, the revenue base for journalism has been disrupted by digital innovation and the dominance of technology platforms in the audience and advertiser-facing markets. Revenue models relied upon by news and information services have collapsed, and credible journalism and its social function ar
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e at risk. Future-proofing the viability and sustainability of public interest journalism in Africa must encourage platforms to pay fair value for the benefit derived. This will require trust and collaboration between governments, the news and information services that produce public interest journalism, and civil society. To achieve this, three pillars grounded in the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa are proposed, namely: i) designation of public interest journalism as a public good, ii) incorporation of national public media funds to resource the supply of public interest journalism and safeguard its public value, and iii) draw revenue for these funds from a collective fee mechanism paid by digital indexing and publishing platforms." (Page 1)
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"This report summarises learnings from BBC Media Action’s landscaping study of the gendered dimensions of social media access and use in India. It addresses 10 questions that have implications for designing digital solutions for women’s empowerment in India." (Page 2)
"Seit 2016 bietet das öffentlich-rechtliche Content-Netzwerk 'funk' konfektionierte Inhalte für die junge Zielgruppe. Bekanntheit und Reichweite des öffentlich-rechtlichen ContentNetzwerks nehmen seitdem stetig zu. YouTube und Instagram wurden 2021 als Primärplattformen bespielt, da sie von 14-
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bis 29-Jährigen am intensivsten genutzt werden. Bei der Nutzung der funk-Angebote zeigten sich plattformbezogene Unterschiede bei inhaltlichen Präferenzen und Interaktion." (Kurz und knapp, Seite 364)
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"International contributors assess a variety of key contexts that impact access to digital technologies, including contextual variations related to geography and infrastructure, as well as individual differences related to age, income, health and disability status. Chapters explore how variations em
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erge across the life course, illustrating the effects of digital disparities on personal wellbeing. Intervening in critical debates relating to the digital divide, this Handbook offers key insights into privacy and trust issues that affect technological usage." (Publisher description)
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"The United States (U.S.) Department of State Bureau of Europe and Eurasia/Office of the Coordinator of Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia (EUR/ACE) contracted Social Impact, Inc. (SI) to conduct a performance evaluation of nine media literacy (ML) assistance projects in Europe and Eura
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sia. These projects were selected by ACE and its partners to represent a wide range of USG target groups and assistance modalities. Six of the projects were funded by ACE and three were funded by the Global Engagement Center (GEC). In addition to GEC, the projects were implemented by the following ACE partners: the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL); the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The evaluation assesses project performance during the period 2017-2020. The purpose of this evaluation was to independently assess the strategic approach, relevance, and overall effectiveness of selected projects, identifying lessons to inform future programming in the region. The primary intended users of this evaluation are EUR, ACE, GEC, DRL, NED, USAID’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia, USAID field missions, and U.S. embassies in the region. The findings and recommendations are also useful to other State Department and USAID bureaus worldwide, and other donors and funders who are active in promoting ML globally." (Executive summary, page vi)
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"The guidelines contained here specify steps and measures that newsrooms and journalists in West Africa can take to mitigate the problem of online abuse. The purpose is not to shield journalists from criticism or promote the criminalization of online speech, but to deal with a real threat facing jou
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rnalism today, which has the potential to erode press freedom in West Africa if it goes unchecked." (Introduction, page 4)
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