Policy World Issue 64 July 2018 No Images? Click here Policy WorldHome | Join | Events | InterMedia | Themes | Regions | Policy WorldDear We have recently returned from the very successful Sydney Telecommunications and Media Forum (TMF), in partnership with our Australia Chapter, which shone a spotlight on the region, and also brought together experts to discuss issues of global concern. The report from the Sydney event will be sent to applicable members shortly. Our next event will be held in Asia, at the invitation of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission of Thailand. Further details of the Symposium can be found below. So, in this month’s edition of Policy World we feature the InterMedia article, Making Sense in Singapore. The article, written by telecoms and media analyst Cristina Murroni, looks at the themes discussed at the IIC’s TMF meeting in Singapore in February. Discussions examined the challenges of the digital economy across Asia, and covered a range of issues from Artificial Intelligence to cybersecurity. From the agreement of a digital roadmap between France and Singapore, to the German monopolies commission’s proposals on algorithms and media, Regulatory Watch includes a range of regulatory news stories from around the world. For the rest of this month’s news, visit Regulatory Watch on our website. Having highlighted some of our regional events, we turn to our annual, global one: Communications Policy & Regulation Week 2018, which takes place this year in Mexico City from 8-11 October. Bringing together experts from all over the world, plus senior regulators and industry figures, the Week enables participants to obtain a unique view of how their peers are tackling the important issues and challenges they face. You can register your place (taking advantage of Early Bird rates) here. Time spent at an IIC event is time well spent, and that is especially true of CPR Week. We hope to see you at a meeting soon. 2018 IIC Future Leaders CompetitionThe Sociology of Technology This competition promotes original thought in communications policy from the sector’s future leaders . The winner will present their winning entry to experts at the IIC’s Annual Conference. Full details and rules can be found here Communications Policy and Regulation Week (CPRW)International Regulators’ Forum and 49th Annual Conference 8-11 October 2018 This year’s event is to be held at the invitation of the Federal Institute of Communications (IFT), Mexico. Comprising the International Regulators’ Forum (for senior statutory communications regulators only) and the IIC’s 49th Annual Conference, key discussion themes for the Week can be found here, along with latest news. Registration is now open and Early Bird rates are available until 4 September. Q&A with Professor Stuart CunninghamProfessor of Media and Communications, Queensland University of Technology In this month’s edition of Policy World, Stuart Cunningham talks about what he calls “social media entertainment”: entertainment content delivered via social media. Prof Cunningham highlights some of the challenges faced by this new creative industry, both to creators and policy-makers. To read his Q&A click here International Symposium on Converging Technologies & Disruptive Communications – Moving ForwardNational Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand The IIC is running this Symposium which will examine projected developments in the digital ecosystem, and consider regulatory policies and actions that might be effected Registration is free, and further details can be found here. IIC UK ChapterNet neutrality 2018: where do we stand now? The IIC returns to the topic of net neutrality with an exploration of international experiences and the challenges ahead. Registration is now open. The event is free for IIC members, but open to all. Making Sense in SingaporeInterMedia Volume 46, Issue 1 Cristina Murroni outlines what went on at the IIC’s Forum in Singapore (February 2018). She highlights examples of ‘creative regulation’, such as the IMDA’s ‘innovation sandboxes’, in Singapore, which enable creators to test new ideas for a limited time, even without licenses. The article also gives details of other discussions, involving AI, blockchain, OTT and more. Read the article in the latest issue of InterMedia IIC partner and regulator members can access the post-event report by contacting Joanne Grimshaw Focussing on the particular opportunities and constraints in media and communications regulation in countries with small populations and/or small economies, the IIC’s Small Nations Regulators’ Forum (SNRF) has just circulated a report by the Broadcasting Commission, Jamaica, to Forum Members on the policy issues created by certain content distributed via social media. Membership of the Forum is free and by invitation or request only. IIC Singapore Regional Round upLatest TRPC report is now available TRPC is a consulting firm co-founded by Peter Lovelock: an IIC Director and Chapter Head of IIC Singapore. This report contains a digest of legislation, news stories and updates from 14 countries in the Asia Pacific Region. Read the report. Amid concerns about increasingly sophisticated online threats, Singapore and France have pledged to increase cooperation on cybersecurity and exchange ideas on regulatory approaches to safeguarding user data in the digital sphere. Both countries also agreed to collaborate on areas like artificial intelligence, and “work to defend the international openness of cyberspace”. Read more IIC Singapore ChapterPrivacy rules beyond borders This IIC Singapore – TRPC Forum will examine the role of GDPR, CBPR and other international frameworks in aligning privacy rules across borders. IIC Brussels ChapterUpdate on the EU Electronic Communications Code (EECC) On 6 June 2018, the EU Council and Parliament reached a political agreement on the Code. The EU Commission’s legal services will now finalise the text of the EECC to reflect this political agreement. Francesco Liberatore, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP; Chair, IIC Brussels Chapter, has written a news update on the EECC. To read the article in full, click here IIC Australia Chapter UpdatesAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman, Rod Sims delivered a speech to the IIC Telecommunications and Media Forum in Sydney entitled, ‘Regulating for competition: stepping up for platforms & stepping back from media?’ At the same event, the Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), Nerida O’Loughlin, gave a wide-ranging speech, the full transcript of which is available here. Dates for your diaryKuala Lumpur, 2019 A Regional Regulators’ Forum (RRF) will be held in Kuala Lumpur on 18 February 2019, followed by a Telecommunications and Media Forum (TMF) on 19 and 20 February 2019. Further details will be released in due course. Germany’s Monopolies Commission in its latest biennial report says that digital change requires legal adjustments regarding price algorithms and the media sector. The Monopolies Commission proposes to systematically investigate markets with algorithm-based pricing for adverse effects on competition. Read more |