"Key findings include: 1. Peru’s digital ecosystem is one of many contrasts. There have been sustained advances over the last 30 years in connectivity, digital literacy, digital rights, digital government, and the digital economy; 2. Challenges in digital policy implementation and coordination cap
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acity slow efforts to remedy digital divides and secure important digital safeguards; 3. The dense Amazon and the Andes mountains challenge the success of traditional models for rural connectivity; 4. Improving digital literacy for all Peruvians is a central element of the government’s strategy for inclusive digital transformation; 5. Regulations in the digital space are at odds with the protection of basic digital rights, such as freedom of expression online; 6. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) struggle to carve out a role to influence the digital ecosystem; 7. Peru’s enabling environment for digital financial inclusion in terms of policy and regulation is positive, but challenges remain in terms of product offerings and customer uptake; 8. International and regional players dominate Peru’s growing e-commerce landscape. Technology startups are hitting their stride, but continue to face a multitude of challenges. Technology remains out of reach for the country’s large base of informal micro-, small, and medium enterprises." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
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"Key findings include: Moldova is home to a competitive telecommunications market, affordable internet, and well developed internet infrastructure, much of which has been achieved over the last 10 years; cybersecurity implementation and capacity have not kept pace with policy development. The govern
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ment introduced regulatory and policy measures on cybersecurity in an effort to harmonize with EU protocols. However, implementation requires support due in part to a fragmented cybersecurity ecosystem, a shallow cybersecurity talent pool, and gaps in government technical capacity; digital literacy is a clear policy priority and Moldova is on par with its regional counterparts when it comes to the public’s general digital skill levels; Moldova’s digital government systems and services are advanced with more than 200 public services partially or fully digitalized; Moldova has a relatively open environment in terms of internet freedom but gaps persist with regard to key legislation on data protection, access to information, and the protection of children and youth from digital harms; The ICT sector is experiencing exponential growth, but it is afflicted by an undersupply of technically skilled talent and a shortage of promising technology startups; while the National Bank of Moldova does not have a dedicated financial inclusion unit or a strategy to improve outcomes, e-commerce is at the forefront of the government’s agenda." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
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"Key findings include: Connectivity infrastructure is fairly well developed in coastal urban areas but lags behind in Libya’s sparsely populated southern region; COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of digital tools and services across sectors; however, Libyans are reluctant to adopt new tools du
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e to unfamiliarity with specific platforms, lack of trust, lack of digital literacy, or when they feel these tools and services are unnecessary; Many Libyan internet users are “Facebook literate,” but are less familiar with more advanced digital tools such as online payments; Libya’s decade-long conflict and instability have limited the House of Representatives' ability to clarify roles, and responsibilities, and to pass new legislation. Laws from the previous regime are still technically in force; The government is prioritizing digitalization; however, there are significant barriers to execution. These are tied to inadequate digital infrastructure, a piecemeal approach rather than an overall strategy, and insufficient legal and regulatory frameworks; Libyan government institutions have uneven cybersecurity capabilities and there is no information publicly available on cybersecurity strategies, data privacy laws or authority, or effective cyber crisis management; Civil society organizations and journalists have limited capacity to respond to cyber attacks and online harassment, often leading to self-censorship." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
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"The Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) Regional Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report presents the findings and recommendations of the DECA, covering 11 ESC countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenad
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ines, Suriname, The Bahamas, and Trinidad & Tobago. The report outlines the key aspects of the region’s digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for the international development community to create a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment to achieve development outcomes in these small island nations. Guided by two USAID/ESC priorities, i) improving government accountability and transparency; and ii) strengthening community resilience, the DECA process consisted of desk research, consultations with USAID/ESC technical offices, and 63 key informant interviews with stakeholders across the region from civil society, academia, and the private and public sectors." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
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"Key findings: Overcoming the digital divides between men and women and urban and rural populations requires long-term planning and resource commitments that include broad stakeholder engagement and coordination [...] The public’s appetite for online content is growing, but accessible, diverse, hi
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gh-quality educational and professional content in local languages is sorely lacking [...] High, unmet demand for digital and IT talent and a weak digital startup ecosystem are critical bottlenecks to growing Uzbekistan’s domestic IT sector and driving digital transformation across the economy [...] The COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened the Government’s commitment to digital transformation of the health sector." (Executive summary, page 12)
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"This paper brings together the key findings of research into digital humanitarian action and inclusion, asking what the impact of new digital approaches has been on how inclusion is understood and operationalised in humanitarian action. The Humanitarian Policy Group undertook three thematic case st
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udies considering different technology areas: biometrics, geospatial mapping and social media. A total of 256 interviews were conducted with stakeholders and key informants, along with strategic engagement with the humanitarian and digital sectors. All the case studies drew on both global key informant interviews and country-level perspectives, including from the Rohingya response in camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and interviews with refugees and aid responders in Jordan, Venezuela and Uganda." (Publisher description)
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"Es necesario que el Congreso de la República expida una ley en donde se de estabilidad y seguridad jurídica a las comunidades organizadas que prestan el servicio de radio comunitaria. En la actualidad está reglamentado mediante una Resolución Ministerial, la cual es fácilmente modificable por
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el ministro de turno. Dentro de ese marco normativo se deberían establecer los lineamientos de una política pública que contenga como mínimo lo siguiente: A) Inclusión de las campañas estatales de todos los niveles territoriales en los planes de medios de cada entidad con el fin de que se destinen recursos económicos a las radios comunitarias. La inclusión del servicio público de radiodifusión sonora comunitaria como proyecto estratégico para la democracia local y la participación ciudadana en los planes de desarrollo territorial; así se garantizaría el sostenimiento económico, sin que esto afecte la autonomía del medio [...] B) La duración de las concesiones no pueden ser inferiores a las establecidas para los demás servicios de telecomunicaciones; C) Tarifas diferenciales basadas en potencia y población para el cobro de los derechos de autor, que de todas maneras no sobrepase medio salario mínimo por anualidad. Actualmente se aproximan las tarifas a dos salarios mínimos en la anualidad, resultando más costoso que los pagos por uso del espectro; D) El Fondo del MinTIC debe destinar parte de sus recursos para apoyar a las comunidades organizadas concesionarias de emisoras comunitarias para la renovación de equipos y adecuaciones tecnológicas como es el caso de la conectividad." (Conclusiones y recomendaciones, página 33-34)
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"As Africa’s digital dynamism grows, its participation in global digital policy must increase. In this transition, African countries have to navigate the geopolitical realities of our times. This study provides a snapshot of Africa’s digital diplomacy by examining the holistic representations of
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national and continental interests in the digital realm. In addition to the role of official diplomacy, this study also looks at the roles of tech developers, businesses, local communities, and others with the necessary skills and expertise for participation in international digital policy. It is critical that many African countries mobilise all human and institutional resources to enable their active engagement in digital foreign policy and diplomacy. While most African countries are in the early phase of their digital diplomacy journey, there are many practices and initiatives that could help a faster take off of digital diplomacy in Africa. These practices and initiatives are identified in this study with many concrete examples, 55 charts and infographics, over 500 references, and case studies of 8 African countries." (About this study)
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"This report analyzes the evidence and justification for these various policies and examines the implications for news media in low-income and developing countries. It identifies the particular challenges that countries with small markets, weak currencies, less stability, and less press freedom face
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in pursuing the policies outlined in this report, underscoring the importance of a coordinated global approach." (Introduction, page 2)
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"With the growth of new social media users across the Sahel, existing conflict dynamics are increasingly manifesting. Sahelians are entering a complex digital space. The ability of individuals and communities to adapt to online/offline conflict dynamics will define the future of conflict in the regi
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on. Search for Common Ground convened West African academics and practitioners in Bamako, Mali in October 2021, to analyze conflict trends and opportunities for peacebuilding in digital spaces in the central Sahel region (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger)." (At a glance, page 1)
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"[...] Durch ausführliche Interviews mit Redaktionsmitgliedern und (Digital-)Verantwortlichen bei ARD und ZDF kann er [ = der Autor dieser Studie] ein detailliertes Bild ihrer gegenwärtigen Social-Media-Praxis zeichnen. Das Dilemma wird deutlich: Eine Orientierung der redaktionellen Tätigkeiten a
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n algorithmischen Funktionsweisen und Konventionen der Plattformen findet auf allen Ebenen statt. Formatentwicklung, Darstellungsweisen und Inhalte werden (unterschiedlich stark) daran ausgerichtet. Auch die Kommunikation mit den Nutzer:innen orientiert sich an den Prinzipien der Netzwerke. „Wir wissen, dass es dem Algorithmus auch gefällt“, ist eine vielsagende Begründung in einem der Interviews für die intensive Interaktion der Redaktion mit dem Publikum. Kennzahlen der Plattformen (wie Abrufzahlen) sind im Redaktionsalltag stets präsent und werden als ‚Währungen‘ akzeptiert. Für den Autor Eichler bedarf es mehrerer Ansätze, um auch zukünftig Qualitätsjournalismus in digitalen Medienumgebungen für alle zu sichern. Redaktionen und Medienhäuser sind in der Pflicht, verbindliche Leitlinien für öffentlich-rechtlichen Journalismus in sozialen Netzwerken aufzustellen. Zugleich muss der Ausbau unabhängiger und nicht-kommerzieller Plattformen und eine stärkere Regulierung der Netzwerke und ihrer Algorithmen vorangetrieben werden. Die Medienstaatssekretärin in Rheinland-Pfalz, Heike Raab, sagte kürzlich, die Medien seien „zu wichtig, um sie den Algorithmen und den Gesetzen des Marktes zu überlassen“. Der Markt (und Musk) mögen ARD und ZDF nicht kaufen können, über die Algorithmen aber üben sie erheblichen Einfluss auf deren journalistische Arbeit aus. Stiftung und Autor hoffen, dass die Studie die Debatte darüber stärkt, wie die Unabhängigkeit der öffentlich-rechtlichen Medien nachhaltig gewährleistet werden kann." (Vorwort)
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"Im Jahr 2022 richten 13 Organisationen aus Umweltschutz, Digitalpolitik, Entwicklungspolitik und Wissenschaft gemeinsam mit einer engagierten Community die zweite Konferenz für Digitalisierung und Nachhaltigkeit »Bits & Bäume« aus. Denn wir sind überzeugt: Es braucht politische Veränderungen,
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damit die Digitalisierung besser zum drängenden sozialen und ökologischen Wandel beiträgt. Uns vereint ein integratives Verständnis von Nachhaltigkeit sowie der Wille, eine Zukunft zu gestalten, in der der digitale Wandel eine positive Rolle einnimmt und Mensch, Lebensgrundlagen und Umwelt unterstützt und schützt. Gemeinsam fordern wir die Bundesregierung, die Europäische Union und politische Akteure weltweit dazu auf, unsere Forderungen zügig umzusetzen. Uns ist bewusst, dass die Forderungen nicht alle politischen Veränderungen abdecken, die erforderlich sind, um eine transformative, nachhaltige Digitalisierung zu gestalten, daher müssen gemeinsam mit der Expertise der Zivilgesellschaft weitere Maßnahmen entwickelt werden." (Präambel)
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"The OECD convened a first-of-its kind international partnership on behavioural science and misinformation between the Canadian and the French governments to develop and disseminate behaviourally-informed and evidence-based solutions that can guide government response to misinformation. The study te
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sted 1,872 Canadians’ intentions to share false COVID-related headlines online with two behavioural interventions: an accuracy evaluation prompt and digital media literacy prompt. The data generated by this partnership show that the digital media literacy tips reduced intentions to share fake news online by 21% compared to the control group – having the greatest impact on online users. These insights can enable policy makers to enact measures that defend and empower online users against environments designed to exploit certain natural but maladaptive tendencies and place the control back into the hands of online users. Relying solely on traditional top-down approaches that aim to regulate content are insufficient at limiting the immediate dangers of misinformation. Innovative policy-making tools such as behavioural science can help provide immediate and long-term solutions to misinformation and should be considered as part of a holistic and comprehensive strategy to offset the threats of misinformation. Governments should conduct rigorous policy experiments in collaboration with other countries, like the one presented here, before enacting policy that affects a larger population to address the crossborder nature of misinformation." (Key policy messages, page 4)
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"This paper examines responses to disinformation, in particular those involving automated tools, from a human rights perspective. It provides an introduction to current automated content moderation and curation practices, and to the interrelation between the digital information ecosystem and the phe
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nomenon of disinformation. The paper concludes that an unwarranted use of automation to govern speech, in particular highly context-dependent disinformation, is neither in line with states’ positive obligation to protect nor with intermediaries’ responsibility to respect human rights. The paper also identifies required procedural and remedial human rights safeguards for content governance, such as transparency, user agency, accountability, and independent oversight. Though essential, such safeguards alone appear insufficient to tackle COVID-19 online disinformation, as highly personalized content and targeted advertising make individuals susceptible to manipulation and deception. Consequently, this paper demonstrates an underlying need to redefine advertising- and surveillance-based business models and to unbundle services provided by a few dominant internet intermediaries to sustainably address online disinformation." (Abstract)
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