Internet Governance Session 4: Internet Governance When the Internet Collides With the Offline World ANG Peng Hwa Nanyang Technological University tphang@ntu.edu.sg Organized by UN Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT) 1
Agenda Learning Objectives: To appreciate the overlap of the Internet with the offline world in key areasconcerning the government, the economy and with respect to content. Learning Outcomes: To appreciate the different regulatory responses that may be needed in addressing Internet issues.
Agenda Competition Policy Censorship and Freedom of expression New technologies
Competition Policy As far as possible, access to the Internet should be competitive Game theory says you should have at least 3 players Low pricing increases Internet penetration Broadband changes Internet use pattern
Censorship and Freedom of Expression How to block objectionable materials on the Internet—principally for children Not possible to agree on what is objectionable for adults but possible agreement on what is objectionable for children How to protect national interests against foreign undesirable materials How to reconcile conflicting cultural values in information content. Local vs International interests and values
Solutions to Objectionable Content Filters Internet Content Rating Association (now FOSI for Family Online Safety Institute) Software filters Server level National level proxy servers Blocking at the national level is not best practice
How A Proxy Server Works Computers Proxy Server Web Server Benefit: Saves on traffic costs,
New Technologies When happens when the Internet challenges offline rules? Apple TV–should foreign TV programs be allowed over the Internet in Iran? AirBnB—should individual home-owners be allowed to rent out rooms to tourists? Should they comply with hotel rules or are new rules needed? Uber—should private car owners be allowed to work as taxi drivers?
Exercise: New Tech vs Old Rules Discuss how new technologies that clash with current rules should be addressed. Examples: AirBnB Uber taxi E-Auctions E-Payment systems (should those who collect money be regulated like banks?) Streaming video: should they be subject to rules concerning broadcast TV?