International & national information policies

1. BSIM0003 Information Policy International & national information policies Seminar 3 HKU Faculty of Education

2. Content • The rationale for international & national information policy • Developments in international information policy • Multinational information policy making bodies • Developments in national information policy HKU Faculty of Education

3. Rationale for international & national information policies Information has become the most important factor of production & wealth creation in the information society. The ability of individuals & organisations to effectively use information will ultimately decide their ability to generate economic growth & enhance quality of life for all There is a need for proper co-ordination of initiatives & the avoidance of duplication HKU Faculty of Education

4. Impacts of international & national information policies • Industrial & commercial competitiveness • Employment & the creation of job opportunities; • Balanced regional development • Government efficiency & effectiveness • Protection of intellectual rights • Lifelong learning • Social inclusion • Participation in the democratic process HKU Faculty of Education

5. Impacts of international & national information policies ‘To this end we must ensure that IT serves the mutually supportive goals of creating sustainable economic growth, enhancing the public welfare, & fostering social cohesion, & work to fully realise its potential to strengthen democracy, increase transparency & accountability in governance, promote human rights, enhance cultural diversity, & to foster international peace & stability. Meeting these goals & addressing emerging challenges will require effective national & international strategies’ Okinawa Charter, 2002 HKU Faculty of Education

6. International information policies : History HKU Faculty of Education

7. The increasing sophistication & complexity of technology, esp ICT poses implications for information policy making Information & technology HKU Faculty of Education

8. Information & technology List some challenges/problems that recent & future developments in ICT & other technologies pose for information policy makers Consider especially the international arena HKU Faculty of Education

9. International information policies: the ‘control crisis’ ‘Information policy made in one nation will have effects elsewhere…This desire to control the world beyond our local communities has developed alongside our ability to extend our influence beyond our local communities in the economic & social spheres’ Burger,1993 This concept is known as the ‘control crisis’ HKU Faculty of Education

10. Information policies: the ‘information policy regime’ Driven by the ‘commodification’ of information & the related desires to reduce transaction costs & uncertainty relating to informational products Policy relating to information may support or come into conflict with other policies. This has led to a need to integrate information policies with other existing & emerging policies HKU Faculty of Education

11. Information policies: the ‘information policy regime’ ‘Historically distinct policy matters pertaining to global flows of information, communication & culture are coming together into a single emergent global information policy regime. This regime is global because it involves non-state as well as state actors’ Braman, 2004 HKU Faculty of Education

12. The information policy regime : Early example Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) – ‘to make universally & promptly available, in a form which is internationally acceptable, basic bibliographic data on all publications issued in all countries’ Anderson, 1974 Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) – ‘each country should have, besides a national bibliography, a national centre…which will arrange to provide to other national centres on request a loan or photocopy of any item published in the country’ Line & Vickers, 1983 What other policies are related to these policies? HKU Faculty of Education

13. International information policies : the ‘control crisis’ What aspects of human activity related to information flows & ICT do governments want to control outside their own national borders? Why? Is it reasonable & practical to implement international policies? Consider the dramatic differences between rich & poor countries HKU Faculty of Education

14. Multinational information policy making bodies • United Nations & its agencies, eg UNESCO http://portal.unesco.org/en/ • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.en • IFLA http://www.ifla.org/ • International Telecommunication Union (ITU) http://www.itu.int/home/index.html HKU Faculty of Education

15. National information policies : Roles ICT plays a key role in supporting many government policies eg : • To facilitate better distribution of wealth & opportunity to citizens • To facilitate equal opportunities to personal & corporate development, healthcare & other public services HKU Faculty of Education

16. National information policies : Challenges • In many countries telecommunications services are not spread evenly through society due to : • Physical remoteness • Ability to pay • If policy mandates some minimum standards to apply there are cost implications eg : • It costs much more to invest in ICT infrastructure in remote areas • Underprivileged/remote areas generate less direct revenue than affluent/urban areas HKU Faculty of Education

17. National information policy Key areas : • Connectivity - information networks, access & interoperability • Content - creation & delivery of core content, protection of the citizen, & cost of access • Competencies - information literacy, supply of information specialists & creation of information strategies for organizations HKU Faculty of Education

18. Information policy challenges International & national information policies (& laws, rules & regulations) should directly & indirectly maximise the benefits of the Information Society, while minimising the negative & constraining forces that act as barriers to these potential gains Ideally they should not adversely affect any identifiable groups within society, ie the gains & pain should be shared evenly Do you agree with these views? Why or why not? HKU Faculty of Education

19. Information policy in HK • What information policies do we encounter in HK? • Is there evidence of an effective information policy regime in HK? • As HK is part of China, should HK’s information policies conform the China’s? HKU Faculty of Education

20. References Anderson, D. 1974. Universal bibliographic control: A long term policy: A plan for action. Verlag, Munich. Braman, S. 2004. The emergent global information policy regime. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Braman, S. 2006. Change of state: Information, policy, and power. MIT, Cambridge, Mass. HKU Faculty of Education

21. References Burger, R. 1993. Information policy : A framework for evaluation & policy research. Ablex, Norwood, NJ. Japan. 2000. Okinawa Charter on global information society. http://www.g7.utoronto.ca/summit/2000okinawa/gis.htm Line, M. & Vickers, S. 1983. Universal availability of publications (UAB): A programme to improve the national and international; provision and supply of documents, IFLA Publications no. 25. Saur, Munich. HKU Faculty of Education