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.

Inside the Digital Society: Digital inclusion requires analogue inclusion
Inside the Digital Society: Digital inclusion requires analogue inclusion 01 February 2023 David Souter

Digitalisation by default excludes rather than includes people and requires analogue inclusion as well. It requires policy approaches that understand the causes of broader inequality in general, reflect the lived experiences of those excluded and address “digital” divides.

Inside the Digital Society: Whither digital governance?
Inside the Digital Society: Whither digital governance? 18 January 2023 David Souter

The UN Secretary-General’s proposal for a Global Digital Compact responds to the evolution of the digital environment since WSIS. Our columnist offers some thoughts on the Compact's value, challenges and how to improve its chances of better outcomes.

Inside the Digital Society: Children and the internet - How to implement a General Comment
Inside the Digital Society: Children and the internet - How to implement a General Comment 08 December 2022 David Souter

Our columnist writes about how advocates for children’s rights online can build leverage in the digital community and in the United Nations. This post is derived from a presentation at the 2022 conference of The Association of Internet Researchers, and is co-published with the LSE Media and Communications blog.

Inside the Digital Society: What’s happened since the World Summit on the Information Society?
Inside the Digital Society: What’s happened since the World Summit on the Information Society? 16 November 2022 David Souter

Our columnist reflects on what has happened since the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), how we might review the past and look forward in hope and trepidation at the future as we approach its 20-year review in 2025.

Inside the Digital Society: Africa’s "communications revolution"
Inside the Digital Society: Africa’s "communications revolution" 20 October 2022 David Souter

Our columnist recalls how bleak Africa’s communications landscape was a generation ago, what the "communications revolution" has wrought and what we should try to learn from the past.

Inside the Digital Society: Making e-government inclusive
Inside the Digital Society: Making e-government inclusive 05 October 2022 David Souter

How is e-government progressing after COVID? What should we be looking out to understand and measure?

Inside the Digital Society: What do you mean, ‘digital transformation’?
Inside the Digital Society: What do you mean, ‘digital transformation’? 14 September 2022 David Souter

Our columnist reflects on how digitalisation has transformed, or at least changed the parameters, of our lives since the 1950s and where ‘digital transformation’ could head next. 

Inside the Digital Society: What impact has COVID had in practice?
Inside the Digital Society: What impact has COVID had in practice? 20 July 2022 David Souter

Two years ago, the assumption was that the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns would have lasting impacts on digitalisation – that they would accelerate the process by which offline turned to online, increase its pace and shift the way we do things towards digital alternatives. But has this happened as much as was expected?

Inside the Digital Society: Thinking of cybercrime – and listening to victims
Inside the Digital Society: Thinking of cybercrime – and listening to victims 05 July 2022 David Souter

Fraud is now the commonest crime in the UK, and most of it is online. Cybercrime and cybersecurity have become some of the biggest problems in digital policy development, and we need to think broader and listen to victims to be able to respond to them.

Inside the Digital Society: Does internet governance require a reboot?
Inside the Digital Society: Does internet governance require a reboot? 21 June 2022 David Souter

A new paper says that the internet and its governance is now suffering from resistance to change, paranoia and a lack of strategic direction and accountability, among other problems. Some thoughts and critiques on the paper's conclusions and recommendations, as well as three ideas that it misses.

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