The Nigerian National Information Technology (IT) Policy

This chapter reviews the Nigerian Information Technology Policy which was approved in 2001. It x-rays the objectives of the policy, the sectoral applications, and the implementation strategies o the policy. A performance review of the policy was also done. The chapter concludes by requesting the government to ensure strict implementation of its national ICT policy in order to achieve the set objectives.

Role of Social Culture in Evaluation of Internet Policies

This chapter discusses the role of social culture in the evaluation of ICT policies and specifically of Internet policies. It draws on the case of the Greek Information Society and on the exceptionally low levels of Internet adoption in the country, exploring the role of social culture in the ways in which Internet users and non-users in Greece evaluate Internet policies and the role of these policies in their decision to adopt the Internet or not. The chapter reports on the findings obtained from surveying 1,000 Greek users and non-users of the Internet in 2007. It finds that social culture and, more specifically, everyday culture and people’s resistance to Internet technologies influence significantly their evaluation of Internet policies, explaining to a certain degree the picture of low Internet adoption in Greece. The first section introduces the scope and aim of the chapter, while background information on the main trends in the Greek Information Society is provided in the section that follows. In the third section, the chapter takes a decision-making perspective and discusses policies in the Information Society of the country, so as to understand better the context in which policy initiatives receive evaluations that derive from social culture. Then, the chapter reports on the main empirical findings obtained from a survey. The survey finds that a culture of resistance is dominant in Greece, with non-users uninterested and in no need to use the Internet. Non-users in particular seem to identify themselves with established traditions and settings of life, thinking that the Internet may put their work, personal and moral status at risk. On the other hand, the survey finds that Greek people are generally dissatisfied with national Internet policies. The modelling analysis shows that social culture and specifically people’s values and culturally-driven perceptions of Internet technologies do influence the ways in which Internet users and non-users evaluate Internet policies. These findings can provide recommendations for policy-makers in the field as well as insights for researchers who aim to conduct comparative research or envisage looking at other countries’ ICT policies and social cultures.

Research Policies for Information and Communication Technologies in Europe

Research in information and communication technologies (ICTs) has proven to be a major driver for innovation and growth in many countries around the world and is therefore the focus of policies to strengthen research, collaboration and application of research results. This chapter represents a detailed policy analysis of ICT research policies from the European region. The analysis follows a four step pattern: (1) Introduction: the situation of ICT R&D (Information and communication Technology Research and Development) and in Europe, (2) The main actors and programmes funding ICT R&D, (3) The main actors and projects active in ICT R&D and (4) The main ICT R&D themes.

Regulation of Cybercafés in Nigeria

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss regulation of cybercafés in Nigeria. It describes cyber crime in relation to cybercafé, the incidents of cybercrime as well as crime associated with cyber usage. The chapter reveals why cybercafés are used as havens for cybercrimes in Nigeria and looks at efforts made by Nigerian government to regulate cybercafé as well as challenges of regulating cybercafés in the country.

Organizational Software Use Policies

This chapter discusses organizational software use policies. Specifically it gives the meaning of software use policy, software use policy components bothering on; general statement of policy, user education, budgeting and acquisition of software, registration, installation, storage and documentation of software, record keeping, software use, internet and shareware use, software audit and use survey, employee/user duty to report underlicensing, disciplinary measures on defaulters, corporate handling of employee questions regarding an organization’s software, need for software use policy in an organization, organizational software use policy formulation process, qualities of a software use policy, policy education and enforcement, problems of software use policy as well as future trends in organizational software use policy.

Liberalization of Telecommunications Sector

This chapter discuses telecommunications liberalization. It points out that developed and developing countries alike have started casting aside the view that the telecommunications sector is a natural monopoly and have started to consider telecom liberalization, that liberalization enable telecom users have a wider choice of suppliers of telecommunications services, products and services are provided in close proximity of the customers., provision of good quality product and service by operators, affordable and low prices to their products, improvement and maintenance of standards of products and services. stimulate the growth of the market and the economy in general; that there is need for regulatory involvement to license new competitors and existing operators, ensure interconnection of networks and services, prevent dominant operators from charging excessive prices for services, as well as ensure universality objectives are achieved in a competitive environment; that to ensure successful implementation of liberalization of telecom steps such as getting support from the top, setting clear policies and procedures, drawing up a liberalization and regulatory timeline, setting competitive safeguards, licensing, unleashing the internet, rolling out universal access, removing barriers to international trade should be taken.

Internet Governance

As the Internet has spread globally, and its economic, political, and cultural influences have increased, it is necessary to develop appropriate policy to govern it, in order to manage and protect it’s presence in our lives. While national governments apply their laws on the Internet, the Internet presents many issues that span national jurisdictions, and therefore requires global governance. Early Internet governance was self-regulatory and involved organizations and a community of users that made decisions through rough consensus. ICANN and the technical issue of domain name and addressing began debates over the issue of Internet governance. Larger issues of Internet governance emerged during the World Summit on the Information Society, whose existence illustrates the shift towards accepting the need for a global, more formal framework of governance. This chapter explores Internet governance and covers the following themes: understanding the challenge of governing the Internet; frameworks and definitions of Internet governance; and the evolution of the Internet governance debate. As there is much disagreement about what Internet governance is, this chapter synthesizes the main issues and debates and provides an overview of Internet governance.

ICTs and Border Security Policies in the United States and the European Union

ICT-related initiatives have dominated the border security strategies of the United States and the European Union in recent years. One set of surveillance systems fortifies the borderline. Another set is creating new frontiers away from the traditional boundary. The objectives of this chapter are to provide a detailed mapping and critical assessment of this two-pronged approach. With respect to the assessment, two arguments are made. First, there are good reasons to believe the approach is not enabling the authorities to deter identified border threats. Second, the approach is contributing to a border management regime that is having an increasingly divergent impact on the mobility and life chances of different groups and populations. In conclusion, it is suggested the inefficacy of the approach is due to contradictions and blind spots embedded in policy maker’s approaches to security issues. Remarks are offered as to why US and EU decision makers emphasize the role of ICTs as they seek to reconstitute their respective borders.

ICT Policies in Developing Countries

This chapter focuses on the objectives, issues and influencing factors of national ICT policies in developing countries. It points out how policy has become the driving force for ICT growth; how it can empower a nation and transform its social and economic life thereby improving on the quality of life of its citizens. It further discusses the objectives and issues of ICT policy. It later examines the factors that affect ICT policy Examples of some developing countries in Africa and Asia with national ICT policies were also given. The chapter concludes that unless a strong national policy institution with dedicated policy decision makers charged with the responsibility of monitoring ICT policy implementation are in place, ICT policies will not be effective in developing countries.

ICT in Education Development in Africa

This study presents the rationale for policy and institutional frameworks in the development of ICT in secondary education in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). As the adoption of modern ICTs slowly gain momentum, various stakeholders in education have recognized the importance of leveraging these technological tools for the improvement of teaching and learning. To a large extent, the application of modern ICTs in education remains uncoordinated in many countries. This study identifies the institutional framework as the dominant approach to ICT in education policy process in the region. This involves the participation of broad-based interest groups in the policy process. Using South Africa as a case study, the study presents elements of ICT in education policy as well as policy lessons that would enable African countries use ICTs for productive educational outcomes.