MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - The anti-privacy Regulation of Investigative Powers (RIP) Act legalised state interception and reading of private email and the monitoring of an individual's activity online in the United Kingdom. Not long afterwards, similar measures were passed in New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Russia and Singapore.

These developments in Internet regulation have taken many civil society organisations by surprise. Now, using an online resource just launched by the Association for Progressive Communications, organisations working for human rights, freedom of expression, and progressive government policy will be able to monitor proposed and new legislation and regulation affecting the Internet in their region.

The APC ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Policy Monitor Websites specifically focus on the Latin American and African continents, as well as Europe, the scene of much of the earliest enacted Internet legislation.
"Most people may not realise that regulatory frameworks exist that actively promote - or restrict - access to the Internet by the general population," says Emmanuel Njenga Njuguna, coordinator of the Africa ICT Policy Monitor. "The aim of the APC monitors is to gather information about and demystify the policy territory for human rights groups, civil society organisations, local Internet service providers ? whoever has a stake in promoting equitable, secure access to the Internet in their country".

Linking research to action

APC hopes that the online resources will contribute to progressive Internet users and civil society organisations forming a united voice to advocate for the adoption of Internet policy and practice that will create favourable climates for social change and development.

"What makes APC different from other organisations is that we always try to link our investigation into Internet and ICT policy to the reality taking place at grassroots level," says Karen Banks, coordinator of the APC Europe Internet Rights Initiative, "so the research can become a tool for action".

For instance, based on the first round of research carried out for the Europe Website in early 2001, activists from the Balkans region saw clear indications of the emergence of monopolies in the telecommunications industry in the Balkans. They formed a network to work together on the issue. Then in August 2001, when the telecom monopoly in Yugoslavia introduced dramatic increases in telephone prices, members of the network were able to organise widespread offline and online protest actions that eventually resulted in a partial retreat by the monopoly. A speaker from APC's European Internet Rights project was asked to address the founding meeting of the Yugoslav Internet Service Providers Association on the issue. Arising out of these activities, the Center for Internet Development has now been established in Belgrade and Internet Rights Bulgaria has been started as a new non governmental organisation (NGO) in Sofia. The network is now working with APC to develop wireless Internet distribution in Belgrade to bypass the telecom monopoly.
"Organisations in Belgrade are now working with APC on developing alternative and affordable methods of permanent Internet access by using wireless and satellite technologies," says Slobodan Markovic of Belgrade computer enthusiasts, Internodium, who was at the first APC Internet Rights meeting in early 2001. "By bypassing the rusty telecommunications infrastructure of the state monopoly, we aim to speed up the adoption of ICTs by the education system, civil society and social NGOs".

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE APC ICT POLICY MONITOR WEBSITES

Africa ICT Policy Monitor (in English)
Europe Internet Rights (in English)
Latin America and Caribbean ICT Policy Monitor (in Spanish)

CONTACT

Karen Banks APC Internet Rights Global Coordinator London, UK
Tel: 44 (0) 207 713 1941
Fax: 44 (0) 207 877 5551

Heather Ford Africa ICT Policy Monitor Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: 27 11 482 5495
Fax: 27 11 482 6163

Valeria Betancourt Latin American ICT Policy Monitor Quito, Ecuador
Tel: 593 2 2228815
Fax: 593 2 2559440

Slobodan Markovic Internodium Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Mobile: 381 64 12 92022
[email protected]

Links

APC (Association for Progressive Communications)
APC Internet Rights in English
APC Internet Rights in Spanish
Internet Rights Charter

Information also available in Spanish: contact [email protected]