Inside the digital society
David Souter writes a weekly column for APC, looking at different aspects of the information society, development and rights. David’s pieces take a fresh look at many of the issues that concern APC and its members, with the aim of provoking discussion and debate. Issues covered include internet governance and sustainable development, human rights and the environment, policy, practice and the use of ICTs by individuals and communities.
Twenty years ago, some of us old-timers were beginning to gear up for what became the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
Yes, we’ve been able to substitute digital ways of doing things for the ways we’ve previously done them across much of our lives – or, at least, some of us have. But it’s proved more partial and less universal than some expected, which poses questions for the future.
Realism’s been gaining ground, but anyone who reads the literature knows that hype’s still hot in digital discourse. Education’s been one of the battlegrounds, and coronavirus has brought it to the fore again.
In the digital society, how do we measure well-being?
Technology enables governments to do things more efficiently and more effectively than would otherwise have been the case, for good or bad. This week, I’ll take a look at that through the prism of social welfare or protection
What does good government mean in principle? How is it altered by the digital society? How should government and the digital world respond?
A crisis like the present shows the importance of thinking issues like privacy through beforehand rather than trying to fix them after the event.
The digital revolution has a complex relationship with privacy, and it's become especially relevant as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
In terms of the expansion of 5G technology, there are big public policy implications , which are about national resources as well as digital investment.
Millions have turned spare rooms (if they have them) into home offices and now spend their days in Zoom chats and on Microsoft Teams in virtual rather than physical proximity with their co-workers. How’s that going? And what questions should we ask?
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2020
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