ICTs in Support of Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance - Part II

              This post is a summary of a report published with the title above, it is the second part of the summary of last week, and published at http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wsis-themes/humanrights/ICTs%20and%20HR.pdf

              There is little utility in analyzing the relationships between ICTs and human rights if the key topics of democracy and good governance are not concomitantly addressed, for before one can help to propagate the other, both must be contextualized as the by-products of the same system. The main impact of ICTs and the internet on democratic life concerns their ability to strengthen the public sphere by expanding the information resources, channels of communication and the networking capacity for many organized interest groups, social movements, NGOs, and political parties with the technical know-how and organizational flexibility to adapt to the new medium. The role of communication systems is vital to the shaping, structuring or 'framing' of relations, examining the role of ICTs must precede any analysis of democracy and good governance. Indeed, rights associated with communication have often been viewed as among as the primary gauges of democracies. While ICTs are touted as the tools of bottom-up empowerment and democratization that actively thwart the ability of centralized dictatorial governments to take form, it is important to bear in mind the contradictory danger of facilitating a "tyranny of the majority." Moreover, the capacity for ICTs to mobilize mass segments of a population and to empower all the various players of civil society should not predispose one from recognizing that the pendulum does not always swing towards democracy as a model of governance. Historical references to the various uses of audio/video tech in  various countries can be easily made to reflect this point. According to Aldous Huxley, "mass communication, in a word, is neither good nor bad; it is simply a force and, like any other force, it can be used either well or ill. Used in one way, the press, the radio and the cinema are indispensable to the survival of democracy. used in another way, they are among the most powerful weapons in the dictator`s armory." Nevertheless, there has been a increase in the emergence of democracies over the past 20 years, supported by the Commission on Human Rights' articulation of a number of elements for their promotion and consolidation, including fair and periodic elections, an independent judiciary, a transparent government and a vibrant civil society. Countries that respect the rights of all their citizens and allow them all a say in decisions that affect their lives are likely to benefit from their creative energies and to provide the kind of economic and social environment that promote sustainable development. The nature of political interaction between representatives and their constituents changes through the empowerment of citizens with access to information at ever-decreasing costs. Increasingly, ICTs are playing an important role in facilitating information sharing. As the number of people with the capacity to have their voices 'heard' gradually increases, so too does the range of considerations for their representatives, who must to a certain extent find balance between their jobs as decision-makers, and their role as active proxies for public opinion. E-government, and specifically the enhanced ability to collect and share information is revolutionizing the way we look at traditional concepts of political legitimacy, representation and ministerial accountability. According to the OECD, the key issues include the necessity of addressing the needs of the policy as a whole, of facilitating the use of e-channels by disadvantage groups early in the implementation process, and of building trust and confidence in e-services. While ICTs provide obvious access to information about various topics (including justice and human rights), they also touch upon crucial interfaces vis-á-vis the direct participating of voters, thereby contributing to significant changes in electoral systems digital advocacy and lobbying, and online consultation are all part and parcel of the transformations of governance shaped by ICTs. That said, however, it is important to note that these observations are themselves not yet established facts. An OECD study of e-governance, based on a series of interviews with information specialists, public officials and the policymaking community in 8 countries, presented evidence that overall impact of the internet has failed. A key problem is the fact that oportunities for 'bottom-up' interactivity in communication with offcial government departments are far fewer than the opportunities to read 'top down' information. Government websites rarely facilitate public feedback, for example few published public reactions to policy proposals, or used discussion forums, and bulletin boards, although there have been occasional experiments with interactive formats. Any discussion on democracy invariably leads to the broader issue of governance, incorporating the dynamic of the institutions, the people, and the various types of agency they wield in the process of governing a nation. As ICTs propagate, the power to influence is more increasingly widely distributed, and hence the tasks of governance, on both national and international levels, become progressively more complex and challenging. A wide variety of modern trends are affecting the state-centric system of governance from all angles: these include international organizations like the UN and the EU, multinational organizations like  General Motors, and NGOs. Those that distinguish themselves from the rest are groups like those espousing 'critical social movements'. These types of entities are unique because they are  geared toward the. "... general transformation of public consciousness, which in turn affects the parameters of legitimacy within which traditional institutions must operate." Some believe that the information revolution is threatening to existing power structure in the international system because the nature and powers of the sovereign state are being challenged. The governments have been challenged by the demands of increasingly well-defined ethnic and other subgroups, confrontations to traditional borders created by ICTs, and the globalization. As power increasingly resides in the people, the world will become more complex, and we will live 'in a kind of international democracy.' On the other hand, others believe that the state retain its power and the main trend has been the growth of regional blocks. In any case, the more information is disseminated in the direction of those who have not been privy to it in the past, the more of a challenge there will be to political 'incumbents', escalating pressures on governments for attention to freedom and human rights are a case in point. Legitimacy is a cornerstone of good governance, and to a very large extent, civil society and the tools they use to heighten global awareness and public sensitivities are indispensable to the solid construction of that legitimacy. Citizens express more confidence in the system of government where, there are widespread opportunities for civic participation and protection of human rights.

ICTs in Support of Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance

               This post is a summary of a report with the title above published at  http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wsis-themes/humanrights/ICTs%20and%20HR.pdf 

         The common ground upon which Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be analyzed was forged two years ago at the U.N. Millennium Summit, in a declaration the world's leaders resolved to "spare no effort to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law, as well as respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms." The goal of such analysis is to adopt a rights-based perspective on major development goals, specifically the protection of human rights. The convergence between telecommunications, broadcasting multimedia and ICT that is driving the developmentof the 'Information Society' is responsible for the transformation of a variety of economic and political sectors, as well as the socio-cultural strata of nations around the world. The benefits of ICTs lie not purely in the range of their functionality but in the variety and versatility of their application. Much has been written about the potential of ICTs to 'revolutionaze' society, particularly in the context of their role as catalysts of the information. Much work remains to be done in analyzing and understanding how these technologies are utilized and applied to bring about expected societal and economic changes and improvements. Among the most important areas affected by ICTs are those of human rights and governance. The subject of how modern communications alter the way in which various entities of the private sector, the public sector and civil society interact has spurred much debate. In light of this generalization, it seems that where the lines of the dissemination of information, the diffusion of culture and activism, and access provision to new markets. It is vital that 'information society' imperatives are treated with diplomacy. ICTs facilitate the broadening of scope and perspective in a way that empower all those who utilize them, and a realistic discussion of the information society must be inclusive of this phenomena. In the human rights arena, there has been a clear shift in attitudes towards human rights protection. Once considered to be the sole territory of sovereign states, the protection of human rights is now viewed as a universal concern. The rise in transnational human rights networks has been referred to by some as the "third globalization," and has helped to developed a global civil society capable of working with governments, international institutions, and multinational corporations to promote accepted standards of human rights and democracy. They often represent the social interest of individuals and the protection of basic human rights, and are usually not motivated by profit or power. Civil society uses the same tools that commercial organisations and mass media institutions use to influence their audience. Examining the resonance of such voices in global fora is vital to the appraisal of shifting power dynamics in the international system. "The emergence of an international civil society seems to be taking place due to the so-labeled 'democratization' movements in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia and ICTs seem to be giving the promotion of these ideas more force than might have been the case 50 years previously." All human rights: civil, political,economic,social and cultural are universal and interdependent, they comprise the foundations of human dignity. Human rights are a central part of U.N. reform, which emphasizes the centrality of human rights in all activities of the system. Where there are violations of human rights, there is also often a lack of democracy, poor governance, negligible rule of law, as well as general conflict and injustice. Pervasive poverty and broad disparities in the distribution of power also often go hand in hand with human rights violations. It has become evident over the past several decades how mechanisms of supranational governance collaboration have facilitated progress towards a universal system of human rights. The recent adoption of the International criminal court in June 1998 is an important step in the direction of enforcing and promotion the values agreed upon by the member nations. International organizations and committees are responsible for using the implementation of the international system for the protection of human rights, it is through them that it is possible to invoke a state's obligations under international law in order to obtain a formal or official response to allegations and obtain some form of remedy. Individuals, NGOs, governments, and supranational institutions have all been empowered insofar as they have the means to effectively communicate their stories, agendas, laws and agreements. Indeed, the ICTs facilitate the mobilizing functionsof many NGOs working across national borders, and may be even more effective as a force for human rights, providing a global platform for opposition movements challenging autocratic regimes and  military dictatorships, despite government attempts to restrict access in certain countries. While ICTs have contributed greatly to the enhanced transparency and accessibility of information from the 'top', particularly as legal and administrative information is concerned, they have done even more to improve  the organizational and management skills of the 'bottom', and thus to tip the scales of power slightly back toward an equilibrium. The growth of new, internet-based media did help facilitate public access to a wide range of information, but some governments continued to develop means to monitor internet use and restrict access to controversial, political, and human rights web sites. Other governments have chosen to prohibit internet access or limit it to political elites. 

Ways Social Media Can Improve Engagement and Reinvigorate Democracy

                This post is a summary of two articles. The first with the incomplete title above was published at http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2011/06/28-social-media-west. The second was published at http://www.vic.gov.au/blog/research-reports/web-2-0-new-tools-democratic-conversations-snapshot-initiatives-government/

                 Social media are the ultimate in disruptive technology. They change information delivery, business organization, online content, news coverage, and the manner in which individuals process new developments. These digital tools represents a example of voter mobilization and electoral impact. They are, in the words of Mindy Finn, founding partner of Engage, an online media strategy company, "the central nervous system of campaign organizations." Despite social networking`s track record for generating democratic engagement, though, it has proven difficult to sustain political interest and activism online over time and move eletronic engagement from campaigns to governance. Faced with a polarized political environment and arcane debates over legislative provisions, many people have opted out of the civic participation. The Brooking Center for Technology (BCT) Innovation convened a distinguished set of experts to offer advice on using social networking and digital tools to reinvigorate democracy and extend electronic engagement from campaigns and grassroots activism to governance. BCT also heard advice and commentary from hundreds of activists. Topics for discussion included strategies for voter empowerment, citizen engagemnet. and governance transformation. Specifically, The BCT discussed: What tools do government and campaigners use to engage the people? How does social networking improve participation, engagement, and collaboration? And how will social media be used in the next elections? Based on this discussion, BCT identified  suggestions for using social media to improve campaign engagement and reinvigorate democracy. 1) Future Political Effectiveness is Going to Be Based on Social Networks Because that is Where "Trust Filters" Operate. Politicians often disagree not just on interpretations, but on the facts. Increasingly, people are using their personal networks to fact-checks claims, evaluate the quality of information, and alert them to what is important in the world. As pointed out by Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet Research Center, these developments allow individuals to "act like broadcasters and publishers." Those seeking to engage citizens must win the trust to be influential. Future political influence is going to be network based because those are the filters used to access and evaluate political information. Unless you can get past those trust filters, you will not be able to influence the course of electoral events. 2) Recognize that Campaign Organizations No Longer Control Electoral Discussions. Electoral campaigns will be more decentralized in terms of a politician's control over debate topics and more focused around social media. One of the news ways social media will affect tje elction is that people are organizing their own networks and candidates will be forced to answer questions they may not wish to answer. 3) Create Virtual Opportunities for Citizen Feedback and Deliberation. By asking their views and giving them a chance to provide feedback, this approach engages citizens with government and allows them to help shape the output. 4) Use Social Media for Direct Persuasion. With the help of social media, ordinary citizens can become agents of persuasion and leverage their personal network for whatever values, issue positions, or ideological stances that they cherish. 5) Improve the Diversity of Information and Exposure Through Social Media. No longer does politics have to be an echo chamber where people of like-mindedness listen to one another, but digital tech enriches political conversation and allows people to get the kind of information that helps them evaluate candidates and policy ideas.     

            Web 2.0 enables and accelerates the transition to a more connected world in which open, user-centred and self-organising networks create value. As governments and the public sector start to do the same, they will encounter the same challenge, which is that these new tools do not just change structures and processes, they change behaviour as well. This is the big challenge for governments to make the most of this way of working. If they want to use them to improve the design of public services, to empower citizens to use information to create new services or to harness more powerful combinations of knowledge for better policy, then they have to embrace the consequent shift of culture and behaviour too. Governments need to consider implementing Web 2.0 tech as a way of becoming relevant to citizens. This is especially compelling in recognition of the view that many democracies are experiencing what has been termed a 'democratic deficit' with a declining trust in governments and an accompanying retreat from civic engagement. Today's digital revolution has, and is continuing to create new ways for the further empowerment of citizens. The Government 2.0 proposition, involves a cultural shift towards a recognition of this and a willingness in government to encourage engagement, partnership, and collaboration. It is important to remember that although Web 2.0 offers exciting new tech tools, the tools themselves are not what matter so much as the potential that they bring for the improvement to services, the strengthening of the democratic contract and the creation of collaboration within and among agencies as well as fostering greater community participation. Ultimately, Web 2.0 is part of a cultural process towards a more open and inclusive model for government, that enables citizens. By actively inviting a partnership with citizens, government decision-making process is strengthened and endowed with authenticity and transparency. Use of Web tools by government may help to craft amore deliberative dialogue with citizens to better meet their needs.

Public Domain Day

                 Last Thursday, January 1st 2015, all the world celebrated the Public Domain Day, it is important to reveal what works could be bought now cheaper and used for almost any purpose.  In most countries author's works become public domain 50 or 70 years after the author's death. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Domain_Da. The second was published at http://www.publicdomainday.org/. The third was published at  http://creativecommons.org/tag/public-domain-day

               The observance of a "Public Domain Day" was initially informal, the earliest known mention was in 2004 by Wallace Mclean, a Canadian activist, with support for the idea by Lawrence Lessig, Professor at Harvard Law School. Copyright protection terms are typically described as the life of the author plus a certain number of years after his or her death. In many jurisdictions, this usually means that 70 years have passed since the day of author's death. After that period, the works of those authors become fully available. In recent years this day has been mentioned by Project Gutemberg and has been promoted by Creative Commons. In 2012, celebration was announced in Poland, where for several years on that day various activities have been organized by free culture NGOs and other supporters.                                                                                                                        On this day, 1st January, of great celebrations worldwide, we also invite you to celebrate the impressive wealth of knowledge, information and beauty that today, like every year on this day, becomes freely available to humankind. Every year on New Year's Day, in fact, due to the expiration of copyright protection terms on works produced by authors who died several decades earlier, thousands of works enter the public domain, that is their content is no longer owned or controlled by anyone, but it rather becomes a common treasure, available for anyone to freely use for any purpose.

              Each year on January 1st, copyright protection expires for millions of creative works, allowing those works to be used by anyone without restriction or need for permission. On this Public Domain day, we celebrate the rich creative works that have risen into the public domain, and mourn the massive number of works that could have been in the public domain but which are not due to unreasonable copyright extension or the chilling effects created by Byzantine copyright term schemes. While copyright terms continue to be extended and policymakers support a detrimental enforcement agenda, there has been no shortage of encouraging work in support of a robust and expanded public domain: 1) The Internet Archive announced this year a massive trove of over 1,000,0000 mostly public domain content available for download. 2) Musopen continues to be a promising project dedicated to providing free music content. 3) There is ongoing efforts to educate the public about the public domain. The Public Domain Review published the Guide to Finding Interesting Public Domain Works online. 4) At the international policy arena, the public domain continues to be a topic on the agenda at venues like WIPO.The Communia Association has been at the forefront in championing support for broad access to public domain materials. and has been urging policymakers around the world to adopt liberal policies promoting wide access to public domain. As you can see, there is a ton of positive work being done to help increase our access to creative content in the public domain. But the work is not done: the longer we do not have access to these works the less rich our culture will be moving ahead. Let is keep working on it and demanding access to content that could and should be available to all