Gender and ICT Policy

This chapter is devoted to discussion of ICT and gender policy. It explores the need for gender consideration in ICT policy, gender issues in ICT policy, adoption of gender perspective in ICT policies, challenges for the adoption of a gender perspective in the formulation and implementation of ICT policies, case studies of gender and ICT policies in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and Caribbean and Australia, gender approaches to ICT policies and programs, guidelines for policy-making and regulatory agencies. It was concluded that various national government have started addressing gender issues in their policies. Recommendation was given that policy makers should ensure that Gender considerations are truly included in national ICT policy.

Towards Electronic Records Management Strategies

Records are a vital business resource and are key to the effective functioning and accountability of the organization. Efficient management of records is essential in order to support organization’s core business activities, to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, and to provide a high quality service to individuals. Electronic records management programme ensures that the organizational business activities are well documented, organized and managed, accessible, protected from unauthorized access and disposed off (either destroyed or archived). Credible and dependable information systems are desired to achieve this. Also, adequate skills sets are required by personnel working with and managing electronic records. The relevance of all these are articulated in this chapter.

Uganda’s Rural ICT Policy Framework

This chapter investigates the Ugandan ICT policy approach to promoting access to and the empowerment of the poor majority, remote and “under-accessed” communities in Uganda. The chapter highlights the strengths of the policy framework while at the same time draws attention to it’s weaknesses. For instance, while the chapter acknowledges the fact that the ICT policy framework recognises and has pursued strategic approaches to expanding access to remote areas, a closer scrutiny indicates disparities that may delimit its pragmatism. These disparities, it is argued, mainly emanate from the fact that the policy framework is not entirely holistic nor forwardlooking in its outlook, not only because the processes (of policy making) left out the rural users, it also fails to address the gender dynamics and most urgently, the media convergencies notably between broadcasting and telecommunication. In addition to divorcing itself from political and democratic aspects imperative for development, the policy framework seems shorthanded on sustainability fundamentals that are conjectured to restrict its propitiousness at the grassroots.

The New Zealand Response to Internet Child Pornography

New Zealand’s approach to regulating illegal material on the Internet varies from other comparable countries. A single law governs the legal classification of Internet content, commercial films, printed material and a wide variety of other media and covers legal and illegal content. A Crown agency rather than the judiciary determines the legality of material. A specialist, non-police, enforcement agency deals those who possess or distribute illegal material, particularly child pornography. This agency actively seeks out child pornographers and has a high success rate in prosecuting them. This chapter describes the history, development and operation of the New Zealand censorship system, as it applies to Internet content. It is likely to be of interest to policy-makers, law enforcement officers and media regulators in other countries.

National Information and Communication Technology Policy Process in Developing Countries

This chapter discusses national information and communication technology policy process in developing countries. It describes the need for information and communication technology policy, ICT policy development process, national ICT policy in developing countries, the role of an ICT policy in the developing country, factors affecting the formulation of national ICT policies and the future of national ICT policy was also discussed.

Prevention and Regulation of Cyber-Crimes in the Age of Terrorism

India is the 12th nation in the world to have a special system of laws addressed to the information technology sector. Besides the general criminal law of the country, the Information Technology Act, 2000 incorporates a special legal framework relating to cyber-crimes. Looking differently, India is also a global hub of information technology and its allied services. Accordingly, the growth and development of the information technology sector and its contribution to national economy is phenomenal. It is in this context, the chapter examines and analyses the Indian ICT laws and policies in the backdrop of cyber-crime prevention and regulation, with the aim of offering a comprehensive model of ICT policy. It will discuss the extent of legal framework in the light of classification and criminalization of various cyber-crimes. Also, while examining the policy instruments, it will bring out the public and private initiatives on protection of information infrastructures, incident and emergency response and the innovative institutions and schemes involved.

Ethics and Social Issues Related to Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has raised new ethical concerns about the protection of personal privacy, protection of intellectual property, user responsibility, acceptable access and use of information, software licenses and piracy. A good ICT policy must be able to adequately consider these, and many other associated issues. This chapter therefore describes these ethical issues and how to deal with them as an individual or an organization. It provides information on the concept of ethics and the technological advancements responsible for the ethical concern. It discusses privacy, information rights, and intellectual property rights and ethics policy. The Nigerian national intellectual property right laws were examined in line with World Trade Organization/Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (WTO/TRIP) compliance.

Adopting Mobile Devices in Classroom

Worldwide, Mobile phone technology is increasing at a remarkable rate. Mobile technologies (m-technologies) allow students to gather access and learn beyond the classroom. They are an integral part of human’s lives today, including children in some societies. This chapter addresses issues related to the mobile phone evolution in Indonesia, pedagogical effectiveness of using it in educational context with empirical study on Indonesian teachers’ perception of the aforementioned in the classroom for science and mathematics learning. The useful research evidence of the value of ICT in education thereby serves as empirical basis for the formulation of ICT policy in educational institutions, particularly ICT integration in instruction.

Context for ICT’s Role in South African Development

This chapter discusses that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can (and should) be used to disseminate information and participation to disadvantaged communities in order to foster socio-economic development in South Africa. The objective of this chapter is twofold: (1) how should ICT policies and frameworks in South Africa be implemented (e.g. by a “top-down”, “bottom-up” or “mixed approach” paradigm) in order for the South African government to achieve its socio-economic goals?; and (2) can socio-economic development in South Africa be effectively assisted by the use of ICT? A discussion of these points may assist in the formulation of national ICT policies in South Africa and thereby spawn the setting up of social appropriation of ICT advancement programs. Such programs are particularly relevant to the digital divide, for fostering socio-economic development and in promoting an inclusive information society in South Africa.

Emerging Information and Communication Technology Policy Framework for Africa

While emerging information and communications technologies (ICTs) offer possible solutions to some of the problems of applying ICTs in Africa, there are many challenges that have to be addressed in order to create an environment that is conducive for harnessing these technologies. This chapter, therefore, reviews emerging ICTs and their potential for application in leveraging Africa’s efforts towards meeting its development efforts. The Chapter highlights the digital divide barriers that may inhibit emergent ICTs in Africa. A review of current ICT policies of selected African countries indicates that the policies are geared towards application of ICTs other than their production. The review also reveals a lack of appreciation for emerging ICTs in Africa, both at the national as well as the sub-regional economic bloc levels. The chapter proposes policy frameworks for emerging ICTs for Africa that are necessary for creating an enabling environment for harnessing the emerging ICTs that will propel the continent into the 21st Century and beyond. The barriers to ICTs cut across many different issues. As such, they require multi-pronged policy approaches to address them. And that an emerging ICT environment must be anchored on a number of strategic policy frameworks including the legal, regulatory/administrative institutional framework, infrastructure, technology advocacy, financial, human resources, education and research frameworks. It concludes that Africa can prepare for its future by creating an appropriate environment for fostering the adoption and application of emerging technologies