IIC Policy World


	Issue: 45

What's in this month's issue?

Upcoming Events
Event calendar
Q&A: Lee Rainie, Director of Internet, Science and Technology Research, Pew Center
Update from the Americas
Update from Asia Pacific
Update from Europe
Intermedia - Freedom vs Security
Latest updates from Regulatory Watch

Hello ,

Freedom vs Security?

Cybersecurity issues are affecting, often in substantial ways, the practices and relationships of governments to telecoms, media and internet service providers. In the latest issue of InterMedia Monroe Price, author and professor, sets out the arguments in his article Freedom vs Security.

IIC meetings explore ways to combine a respect for privacy and protection of personal data and critical information infrastructures, whilst enabling government authorities to protect national security interests.

This month we are in Washington DC for the last TMF meeting of 2016 where a substantial part of the programme is devoted to discussions around transformational, yet-to-be-defined technologies: 5G, IoT, AI and SDN, what policy makers and regulators can do to encourage innovation and at the same time safeguard critical systems, and citizens?

We are preparing a summary TMF report reviewing discussions and themes considered in 2016, and looking back at how these have developed over time. The report is distributed automatically to members. If you would like a taster and to learn more about membership in 2017, please get in touch.

With best wishes,

Andrea

Andrea Millwood Hargrave
Director General

Upcoming Events

Telecommunication and Media Forum

The implications of technological advancement and the evolving political landscape internationally

29-30 November 2016, Washington DC

At the end of this month, the IIC will be back in Washington for its third and final TMF of 2016. We have a selection of high profile speakers and contributors who have no doubt spent the last few months contemplating the implications of Brexit, a new Administration in the White House (not to mention rapid technological advancements), and the impact these things will have on policy and regulation.

There are Keynote talks from policy makers Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the FCC and Terrell McSweeny, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission; and from industry with Kathleen Grillo, Senior Vice President, Verizon Communications and Marcus Weldon, President, Bell Labs and Corporate Chief Technology Officer, Nokia. See the full speaker line up.

keynote speakers

Main themes to be discussed will include:

• Transformational technologies: 5G, IoT, AI and SDN

• Implications of Election year

• Brexit and global policy

• Whither net neutrality?

There are still places available. Book here

Event Calendar

Q&A

Q & A with Lee Rainie

Director of Internet, Science and Technology Research, Pew Center

This month, Policy World questions Lee Rainie, Director of Internet, Science and Technology Research, Pew Center.

1.When you launched the Pew Research Center's technology research, what were the key catalysts for recognising that this was an area that would be so fertile for you and your team?

2.What are the three significant changes that you have seen take place over that period?

3.You are speaking at the IIC's forthcoming Telecommunications and Media Forum in DC, looking at the impact of technology on traditional industry silos. Is there such a thing as traditional industry any longer – what have been the key changes that industries have had to make to keep abreast of technological change?

4.The IIC primarily works across the telecommunications, media and technology sectors, do you think regulation has been able to keep up with the still-evolving digital ecosystem?

5.You have recently written about digital privacy rules. Which five aspects of the digital ecosystem are of most interest and/or concern to Americans?

6.Have you thought of opening out this research to other countries and, if you already do co -research or share data with other countries, what are the key differences that you note?

The Pew Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world and in this case the social impact of the internet . See Mr Rainie's answers

Regional Updates

The IIC has directors in various regions of the world. These are dedicated TMT professionals who work with the IIC on a voluntary basis to share knowledge, facilitate relationships and create long-term bonds between regulatory authorities and the businesses they regulate. Here we bring you news from these regions.

UPDATE FROM THE AMERICAS

Recent Events

Canada

Towards an Innovation Agenda for the Communications and Media Sector

16-17 November, Ottawa

This month, the Canadian chapter brought together business and government leaders in broadcasting, media, telecommunications and technology to engage on key issues affecting the future of the Canadian communications sector. Conference speakers included the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Read more

ASIA PACIFIC

Australia

- There are various news items from the ACMA this month. See the website for updates on

- The communications sector: recent trends and developments. Read more

- Australian Government Bureau of Communications research releases industry snapshot. Read more

- The Challenges in Media Regulation, a speech by Richard Bean, Acting Chairman, ACMA. Read transcript here

- Senate Committee Inquiry: Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016. Read more

Singapore

Visit the Asia Pacific region pages of the website to see up to date industry reports..

EUROPE

What will be the UK’s "red lines" in the Brexit negotiations on digital issues?

16 November 2016, co-hosted by the IIC and Frontier Economics, London

In November, the IIC's UK Chapter and Frontier Economics hosted the first of a series of discussions on what Brexit means for the UK and its digital policy. Read the summary of the meeting.

Antonio Preto 1965 -2016

The IIC's condolences go out to the family and colleagues of Agcom Commissioner Antonio Preto, who died, aged 51, on 4 November. All the members of the Italian Chapter were shocked and saddened by this sudden and premature loss and remember the passion he devoted to the chapter activities.

InterMedia

Members receive InterMedia, the IIC’s quarterly journal. It reviews key developments in telecommunications and media policy, regulatory affairs, emergent ICT trends and, especially, the impact of the internet across the entire ecosystem.

Freedom vs Security

Once again, the competing discourses of freedom of expression and national security are in play, as Monroe Price discusses in the context of global media policy. Monroe Price is on the faculty at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University. He is the author or the 2015 book Free Expression, Globalism and the New Strategic Communication (Cambridge University Press).

InterMedia is a rich resource of articles, reports and interviews and the contents reflect the IICs on-going discussion themes. To make life easier for you, we've created an index of all the articles published since 2014.

Full index of 2014-2016 InterMedia articles.

Regulatory Watch

The IIC’s eye on the news. This bulletin is regularly updated with thumbnails of industry news. Follow the links for a round-up of latest industry stories.

FCC’ s policies on hold following Trump’ s election

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is signalling that it may not be passing any more controversial rules this year, in acknowledgment that the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump could take things in a very different direction next year, writes Brian Fung in the Washington Post.

China clamps down on internet freedom

China has passed a sweeping law tightening restrictions on internet freedoms, a contentious move that foreign businesses say threatens to shut them out of one of the worlds biggest technology markets, reports the Financial Times.

Nigeria pitches for ICT investment

Nigeria's government and private sectors have made a pitch to foreign investors at the 2016 ITUs conference, Telecoms World, where they presented the countrys developments in ICT opportunities for future investment, reports Naija247

Singapore stimulates Li-Fi trials

Singapore's regulator, IMDA, is waiving frequency fees associated with Li-Fi (light fidelity) trials to encourage technical trials of this technology. Li-Fi is a light-based communication technology that has the potential to provide a new layer of wireless connectivity...

US debates need for new regulation for IoT

Confronting the dangers posed by the internet of things, members of the US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee have held a hearing that examined the feasibility of regulating IoT devices, reports SC Media.

OECD analyses role of international organisations in regulation

Borders are becoming increasingly porous, with growing flows of goods, services, people and capital, says the OECD about a new report, International organisations (IOs) play a key role in fostering multilateral action and addressing the fragmentation that may undermine effective domestic action.