Tag Archives: internet governance

EuroDIG 2021: Takeaway messages for libraries

The 2021 edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance offers an opportunity to take stock of recent developments in the policies and practices within the digital ecosystem which can be of interest and impact libraries in Europe – and around the world.

1)    Moving ahead to champion Open Science

Open Science, particularly its digital dimensions, was among the key topics of interest in this year’s EuroDIG. Noting the many helpful local, regional and international (e.g. discipline-specific) open science initiatives, UNESCO and other stakeholders discussed the value of developing a comprehensive shared definition and normative approach; and UNESCO itself offered an update on its draft Recommendation on Open Science.

Here, a summary of key points raised by various stakeholders and Member States during the UNESCO consultation (to which IFLA also contributed) included references to the importance of infrastructure (e.g. internet connectivity), of Open Science monitoring, and of non-profit and sustainable services and infrastructures to support Open Science in light of the risks of commercial monopolisation. In November 2021, the draft Recommendations are due to be submitted to the UNESCO Geneva Conference with a view to their adoption, followed by anticipated adoption among Member States.

Open Data. A closely related topic which may be interesting for libraries working in this area is open data – particularly how to open and share data which is more sensitive and requires further safeguards. Noting the current legal provisions which govern the lifecycles and usage of such data (e.g. laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation), the speakers pointed out some of the existing and possible approaches which can help enable such data-sharing to take place securely in practice. These include, for example, various licensing models, or setting out rules on access to such sensitive data – e.g. for specific purposes, or to limited types of stakeholders.

This discussion also pointed to the importance of investing in infrastructural support, education, and awareness-raising, to help researchers navigate the questions around opening sensitive data. These discussions are of course highly relevant for libraries offering support or training on research data management, licensing or copyright for their institutions.

2)    Online learning: where do we stand today?

Digital divides and inequalities. The 2021 EuroDIG also offered an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from the rapid shift to digital in learning and education, which has taken place in many parts of the world over the past year. One of the most prominent challenges here is, of course, the widely-noted digital divide – inequalities in access to suitable connectivity or devices (or even suitable spaces) for learners, and the ability to use them effectively.

The social element. The social dimension of learning is another consideration – with concerns expressed over the possible impacts of all-digital learning on students’ social interactions and wellbeing. Some survey data suggests, for example, that parents reported positive impacts of remote learning for students’ math and reading competencies – but see it as having a more negative impact on their social skills. This raises the question of whether it is possible to leverage existing (and develop new) applications and digital mediums to further promote meaningful interaction and wellbeing.

These points relate to the questions many libraries themselves have been grappling with since they introduced virtual programming to support learning and social interaction for children – from storytimes to creative workshops or clubs.

Platforms, walled gardens, educational content discoverability. Another part of the discussion focused on digital learning platforms and tools themselves. Here, stakeholders noted that it is crucial for platforms to not only optimise learning – but to also take fully into account learners’ digital autonomy, digital self-determination, privacy and ethics.

Another consideration is the  “walled gardens” of some commercial learning platforms – those characterised by limited interoperability and a lack of access to their learning materials from outside of the platform (e.g with access cut off once a course ends). For libraries, this latter point relates to their own concerns over equity and availability of access to digital learning materials. One of the draft take-away messages also highlights the importance of tools that increase the discoverability of educational content across the various available platforms.

3)    Privacy and data protection – not an obstacle to productivity

Built-in privacy. Another well-noted impact of rapid digitalisation is the immense increase in the amount of data being generated and collected in the process. Naturally, this puts into the spotlight questions around data privacy (especially for personal data) and data protection.

This echoes some of the questions libraries themselves had to answer during the pandemic – which platform can be used for virtual programming? How to minimise data collection? What initiatives targeting particular user groups are possible?

Some of the suggested measures to address these concerns included clear internal policies and processes which build in privacy at the outset, increased transparency and accountability, and, importantly, actively promoting the idea that “data protection is not an obstacle to productivity and innovation”.

Digital skills. Another element that can help preserve privacy and data security is, of course, learning – both for staff members (to help guide internal processes) and users (to help understand and navigate their own use of the internet – e.g. online financial services). This will be familiar to many in the library field who are increasingly focused on supporting digital literacy and confidence within their communities.

4)    Paths towards a greener digital future

The complexity of the relationship between the ongoing digital transformation and environment and sustainability is, of course, well-noted. Technology has immense potential to help track and mitigate today’s environmental challenges. Yet it also contributes to these challenges in various ways, from energy consumption and resource extraction to e-waste.

A part of the EuroDIG discussions dedicated to environmental sustainability focused on a broader public perspective: the impacts of lifestyles and consumption patterns around technology.

As such, one of the key needed changes the participants highlighted were policies, practices and infrastructure facilitating the reuse and repair of technology. Another important element was raising public awareness and education, to enable communities to make sustainable choices – which also requires access to quality information and transparency about technology.

Such questions are of course of interest for libraries: from public procurement, to repair workshops held in libraries, to raising awareness about sustainable consumption patterns.

A related point focused on the link between sustainability and equality of access. Here, it can be worthwhile also to examine models of access that support equitable digital inclusion while keeping the number of new devices entering circulation lower (whether it is distributing refurbished technology, free public access to ICT, and others).

These are just some of the discussions from the 2021 EuroDIG which can be worthwhile and interesting for libraries to keep track of – with more sessions exploring questions around freedom of expression and content moderation practices online, formal and informal media literacy learning practices, and more.

You can take a look at the draft EuroDIG2021 takeaway messages, access all session recordings, and stay engaged with internet governance discussions to share insights, perspectives and good practices from across the global library field!

GDPR, three years on: five lessons on data privacy and libraries

When the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in 2018, it ushered in major changes in the policy dialogue and practice around data privacy – both inside the EU and globally. Three years on, libraries continue to work to uphold their ethical commitments to privacy in the evolving policy landscape.

The GDPR’s third anniversary gives occasion to reflect on the progress made so far, where discussions on data privacy, confidentiality and security stand today, and the implications of this for libraries. This blog presents five lessons:

1) Change is afoot, in Europe and beyond: The oft-cited trend of an emerging new generation of privacy laws continues; with legislation introduced, amended or currently under review in different parts of the world – from Canada to Brazil, Singapore to Australia.

In addition, with the ‘Privacy Shield’ framework for data exchange between the EU and the USA overturned, policy discussions around the privacy and security of cross-border data flows also remain high on the agenda. As such, mutual adequacy decisions and other arrangements further shape the global and local policy environments around data privacy.

Within Europe, Stakeholders are paying close attention to the outcomes of the implementation and ongoing enforcement of these policies. On the one hand, the past months saw a sustained growth in the number of breach notifications submitted and fines issued within the GDPR framework.

On the other hand, as a recent GDPR implementation progress report by Access Now notes, many complaints from private individuals are yet to be addressed; and data protection authorities and EU bodies flag some crucial challenges in enforcement – e.g. in the cross-national collaboration mechanism, national differences in implementation, and others.

The report highlights that GDPR is ‘still in its infancy’; but it is a flagship regulation that continues to have a significant impact on the global data privacy policy field. As such, for libraries around the world, it is worthwhile to keep up with these key developments as they continue to navigate their work with user (and employee) data.

2) It is not only governments that are changing their approaches: another emerging trend is private tech companies increasingly stepping into the roles of data protection stakeholders, and changing how online data flows unfold – e.g. with Apple’s software update and Google’s planned steps to reduce third-party tracking.

However, the reactions to these seem to be mixed – some celebrate the anticipated privacy gains, others express concerns over big tech having far-reaching capacity to act as data privacy regulators, and in particular whether private companies can ever be as accountable as public regulators. This does also raise questions about whether those companies already able to draw on the lessons of previous data collection will enjoy unfair advantages compared to competitors. Others noted that the benefits from privacy measures introduced by private companies may not be distributed equally – for example, with those who are able to afford more expensive devices ultimately enjoying higher privacy standards.

3) The relevance of GDPR and other privacy protections is greater than ever, including in libraries: it was under the framework of GDPR that the leap to digital during the pandemic took place. There are examples of how it helped inform the choice of medium for online programming (e.g. ruling out some channels, like WhatsApp). There are also examples of GDPR having an impact on whether some initiatives – like organised outreach to potentially vulnerable library users – were on the table.

But of course, as privacy remains an important consideration in many public discussions during the pandemic (e.g. contact tracing, vaccine passports), for countless librarians there is a heightened sense of responsibility and vigilance around data privacy.

As such, the year saw professional discussions, guides and toolkits put together to help libraries navigate privacy challenges during the pandemic – from contact tracing and temperature checks to supporting educators in protecting student privacy online.

When planning these adjustments and responses, going back to the basics – understanding the key building blocks of privacy today – can be helpful. For example, GDPR has helped shape the understanding of what personal data encompasses today – e.g. not just the obvious categories like names and addresses but also, for instance, graphic and photographic data, and so much more. It commits to principles like data minimisation – a concept which wasn’t new to libraries, of course, but nonetheless helpful in thinking about any organisation’s data management processes, and reducing risks and harms. All these elements and concepts can be helpful for libraries in structuring their thoughts on what privacy means today – even for those not falling under GDPR’s jurisdiction.

4) But it’s not always easy to enforce privacy: some of these measures are, of course, a matter of internal processes and are comparatively easier for libraries to implement (e.g. choosing a medium for online programming; maintaining strict policies and procedures in situations when contact tracing is required).

However, the past months also saw reflections on how it is significantly more difficult for libraries to keep up privacy standards, initially developed in an analogue world, in digital processes which involve powerful third parties.

These were exemplified in the library concerns around the surveillance capacities of academic library vendors (e.g. the ways vendors may use library patron data far beyond anticipated purposes, or even proposals for more intrusive data collection in academic libraries to enforce copyright).

Some of the proposed paths to solving these challenges include, of course, better understanding these phenomena, and supporting libraries’ work to renegotiate or recalibrate relationships and agreements with outside vendors.

5) Privacy and performance should not be seen as mutually exclusive: too often, it is easy to see privacy as a zero-sum game. However, this is not inevitable.

This was echoed during the discussions about public health interventions reliant on large-scale data collections: trading away privacy for other benefits is not always a helpful framing. Instead, built-in privacy which preserves and ensures trust in such public health interventions can help them find broader acceptance, while a lack of trust can undermine their success.

As a Data Privacy Toolkit by the Pacific Library Partnership puts it in the library context,

“Positive-sum verses “all or nothing” outcomes: taking a “we can have privacy or we can have this other thing” approach to privacy discussions leaves little to no room for discussions that address the privacy needs and concerns of everyone involved.”

 

The discussion about data privacy, of course, remains both technical and complex, and can at times feel overwhelming. But between ongoing efforts to identify practical measures libraries can take, their advocacy efforts, and an overarching commitment to privacy as a key part of their professional ethics, the work to ensure libraries deliver on this commitment continues!

World Information Society Day 2021: Adaptation, Innovation and Transformation

17 May marked the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. This year’s theme, “Accelerating digital transformation in challenging times”, encourages libraries to reflect on their own digital journeys over the past year, and on the next steps in reaching global connectivity goals and ambitions.

For over a decade, libraries’ roles in the information society have been fairly well-established. The WSIS Tunis Agenda and the Geneva Plan of Action, as early as 2003-2005, sought to engage and support libraries as public access points, facilitators of digital skills learning, and champions of (cultural) content generation.

To this day, these elements reflect some of the key goals libraries pursue in their work to support meaningful digital inclusion. However, as the theme of this year’s WTIS Day highlights, the pandemic has accelerated the global digital transformation, and the past months have posed both a considerable challenge and an impetus for innovation as libraries shifted to digital.

Library innovation in challenging times

This included, of course, digitalising some of the core offers, such as expanding digital collections, introducing or broadening online reference services) and putting other traditional activities online (e.g. book clubs and storytime events).

But this year also saw libraries come up with creative ways to put forward diverse and expanded offers, such as virtual cooking and gymnastics events in libraries in Italy, or the ICT-enabled remote bibliotherapy and psychological support in libraries in Lithuania and Romania. There were various interesting ideas for digitally recreating various elements of library user experiences – for example, a “virtual study space” held by an academic library in Turkey through Zoom.

The sustained emphasis on using technologies as ‘a force for good’ also helps us think about the broader social impacts of such digital initiatives. For example, one approach to maximising libraries’ positive impact emphasised broadening their reach. There were many examples of libraries introducing or easing the process of digital membership applications and e-cards to make sure that more people can benefit from their services with the shift to digital. There have also been examples of libraries working to offer access to valuable materials without any restrictions on membership – like the Central Library in Tallinn setting up a digital access platform for ebooks available to all citizens.

Another way to understand the societal impacts is by focusing on how libraries worked to meet communities’ needs – for example, the many ways academic, school and public libraries supported the educational shift to digital. In Kenya, for instance, a community library set up a temporary multimedia studio which teachers used to conduct and livestream daily online classes.

Lessons learned and moving forward

The library actions listed above set out ways in which libraries are working to address the broader digital connectivity gap and inequalities that the pandemic has so sharply highlighted.

While examples such as these are inspiring and show the flexibility and adaptability of the global library field, all this of course depends on local circumstances and capacities. There were cases where the pandemic highlighted the need for library connectivity, better access to technologies, digital skills-building opportunities for librarians, or more supportive policy frameworks.

The need is great, and WTIS Day 2021 sets the goal not just of continuing, but rather of accelerating digital transformation. For libraries to play their part in more rapid progress towards meaningful digital inclusion, they will need to be properly recognised in national policies for meaningful digital inclusion. A good starting point is therefore the ITU’s own Connect 2030 Agenda – so what does it contain and what role can libraries play in helping realise it?

Libraries and the Connect 2030 Goals

The Agenda was developed by the International Telecommunications Union and its members to define the targets and transformations in the digital sphere needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It comprises 5 key goals – to power Growth, Inclusiveness, Sustainability, Innovation and Partnerships.

The first two goals contain indicators on digital inclusion and connectivity – both on the global scale and for developing countries and underserved user groups (i.e. women and people with disabilities) in particular.

Among these targets, there are areas where libraries already work to help their realisation – e.g. on the number of people using the internet, on the affordability of connectivity (which public access can help achieve), and digital skills.

The Agenda also sets out various targets focusing on digital policy frameworks, such as:

  • The “number of countries with a specific policy for ICT accessibility” (all countries by 2023);
  • “By 2023, all countries should have a National Emergency Telecommunication Plan as part of their national and local disaster risk reduction strategies”;
  • “By 2023, all countries should have policies/strategies fostering telecommunication/ICT-centric innovation”;
  • “By 2023, raise the percentage of countries with an e-waste legislation to 50%”

All these areas have already attracted interest and generated discussion within the library field. From the US, for example, we have insights on the role of libraries in crisis and natural disaster response – including their role in offering access to the internet, electricity, and in helping spread critical information during the crisis. Similarly, there are country-level case studies which outline the role libraries can play in supporting ICT innovation. For example, the ITU’s recent report on Moldova points out the contribution of the Novateca Libraries to helping build the soft (e.g. skills) and hard infrastructure which encourages innovation in the country.

As such, there are different ways libraries can contribute to these ambitions – and as more countries move to develop and adopt policies on accessibility, ICT innovation, e-waste and emergency telecommunication by 2023, it is well worth it for libraries to keep informed and engage with these policy dialogues in order to be recognised as partners in achieving success.

Five Ways That Libraries Offer Meaningful Connectivity

A guest blog by Teddy Woodhouse, research manager at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).

Parking lot Wi-Fi hotspots in the United States, mobile vans in Ghana, and mobile phone lending in India. These are just some snapshots of how libraries have helped people stay connected through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beyond just access, libraries can help offer meaningful connectivity – where internet access can advance personal, professional, or educational development. We at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) have identified four factors of internet access that are important thresholds for connectivity to become meaningful: a 4G mobile connection; smartphone ownership; an unlimited broadband connection at home, work, or a place of study; and daily internet use. Libraries are part of this mission towards greater meaningful connectivity for the greatest number possible – and here’s five ways how.

  1. Libraries broaden the network of connectivity ‘oases’.

A key indicator for meaningful connectivity is daily access to an unlimited broadband connection. These points of high-capacity connectivity are a core part of people’s experiences with the internet. These might be found at home for many: however, libraries are unique in their ambition to offer this level of connectivity to anyone in their community.

Along with schools and places of work, libraries add to the constellation of access points that increase connectivity across a community and build the reliability of internet access as a regular part of someone’s life and as a way of learning and doing business.

  1. Libraries provide connectivity to the most vulnerable.

Libraries play an essential role in the access to ICT ecosystem, especially for low-income and first-time users who lack the financial means or digital skills basis to maintain their own private connection. Access through institutions like libraries also helps pool the cost burden among a wider number of users, make access more affordable in more remote or marginalised areas, and can, in ideal cases, also provide a basis for wider projects such as community networks.

Through this, libraries ensure that the digital divide does not become a simple copy of income inequality and that an individual’s wealth does not predetermine how meaningful their internet access will be.

  1. Libraries extend skills and safety along with connectivity.

Libraries are also trusted institutions. In a time of peak misinformation and greater social distrust, libraries have a unique trait in that people from all walks of life are more likely to trust them and the services they offer. The digital divide is not just about infrastructure – it is about the skills gap as well. This boundary – which disproportionately affects women – is one where libraries can be especially effective in providing trained staff and gender-inclusive spaces for learning that enables each individual to develop their skills and become digitally autonomous.

  1. Libraries help find and grow locally-relevant content.

Librarians help people find information that’s useful for them. This support system enables people to discover locally-relevant content in a way that global search engines cannot replace. It responds to the range of characteristics such as language, gender, or background, which can  influence what information is relevant to an individual. Through the trusted support of a librarian, more people are able to learn how to find the information that matters to them online.

In addition to finding locally-relevant content, libraries can help increase the presence of such content online. In a time where just over 60% of the web is in English, there are huge gaps in the world’s knowledge and what parts of that knowledge are available online to speakers of different languages. As connectivity grows in an area, so too does the amount of locally-relevant content. Libraries can support these initiatives through the digitisation of records, hosting Wikipedia edit-a-thons, and other activities.

  1. Libraries offer new equipment for users to try and to learn.

Many libraries also provide access to equipment that users would not be able to afford themselves. This can be as simple as a desktop computer or extend to specialist equipment such as cameras and 3D printers. While many of these devices would not be affordable for individuals to own and keep within their household, communal access through a library helps expand the possibilities of an individual to use and to build their digital skills around new ICT equipment.

As countries look to the digital economy as accelerators for their post-COVID recovery, skills-building and devices will play an essential part in the broader ecosystem of affordable and meaningful internet access.

 

Libraries are worldwide, but they need – and deserve – better support. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Library Map of the World counts 2.6 million libraries across six continents, but only 381,000 (⅔ of those reporting, and roughly 14% of the total) of those libraries say that they have internet access. Part of this challenge is the availability of data about libraries and their capacities: part of the challenge is connecting those that remain unconnected. If each library were connected to the internet, could expand the global footprint of such public access points nearly seven times over and could be transformational in the informational landscape for those who are currently unconnected or lack the financial means to buy their own connection.

Governments can do more to support libraries and their potential to expand meaningful connectivity. Libraries should be included in national broadband planning processes as stakeholders in consultations, as key institutions to include within targets for connectivity, and as priority opportunities to investment. This includes setting targets for meaningful connectivity. Governments can also sign the Every Community Connected pledge, which identifies libraries as essential to the post-Covid recovery.

Digital inclusion is the foundation of a scalable digital economy. At A4AI, we advocate for affordable and meaningful internet access for everyone precisely for this reason: without widespread access, the possibilities of the internet to help lift people out of poverty and for countries to reach the Sustainable Development Goals are inherently more limited. Realising this goal requires blending together different business models and investment strategies, including public access through libraries, to connect the world.

Teddy Woodhouse is a research manager at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI). A4AI is a non-profit organisation, based in the United States, that represents the largest, global multi-stakeholder coalition that tries to drive down the price of broadband through policy and regulatory reform.

Digital Cooperation Day Three: How can libraries play a strong role in partnerships and decision-making related to the internet?

The final day of our consultation on IFLA’s response to the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation looks at how we can give libraries a stronger role in decision-making about digital issues.

As highlighted in previous blogs, libraries already have a strong record of cooperation. The sorts of partnership involved vary according to the type of library, from local community groups to major multinational companies, but all can help achieve library goals.

What about cooperation at the global level? IFLA regularly represents libraries at the Internet Governance Forum, and there are often librarians at regional and national editions. Indeed, a key benefit of participation in these meetings is the potential they offer to build and pursue partnerships.

However, not all discussions about major digital issues are so open. Libraries are not always so well listened to in other fora, despite the contribution they can make.

So our final question focuses on what should be done to ensure that libraries play a strong role, both in order to influence decision-making, and in order to ensure that their potential to provide solutions to digital challenges is not left unrealised.

Does there need to be a more formal role for voices like those of libraries? Greater consultation? Discussion of digital issues at local levels?

Let us know what you think! You can also post your ideas on social media with the hashtag #LibrariesDigiCoop.

You can read IFLA’s initial submission to the High Level Panel on our website. See all of our blogs on Digital Cooperation here.

Digital Cooperation Day Two: What can libraries contribute in the key areas where digital cooperation is required?

Day two of our consultation on IFLA’s response to call for contributions launched by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation focuses on how libraries can make a difference to the challenges set out.

Why cooperate? Libraries have long worked with others – governments, partners – in order to provide better services, going beyond what they can do alone. Libraries are often as much of a platform for others to deliver as an actor themselves.

This is logical – everyone has different strengths, roles and possibilities. It makes it possible to achieve goals, and tackle problems, effectively.

The same goes for the online world. The emergence of a digital economy and society both changed the way we think about existing challenges, and created new ones. These can be linked to a lack of cooperation or shared understanding between players.

To respond, it is necessary to cooperate, bringing together different actors – governments, private companies, individuals, organisations, and of course libraries!

What these actors can do, together, is one of the key areas of focus of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation.

So our second question is about what libraries can contribute to responding to these challenges. The Panel suggests inclusive development, inclusive participation in the digital economy, data, protection of human rights online, human voice and human agency in the digital age, digital trust and security, and building the capacity of individuals, institutions and governments for the digital transformation as particular challenges.

Let us know what you think!

You can read IFLA’s initial submission to the High Level Panel on our website. See all of our blogs on Digital Cooperation here.

Digital Cooperation Day One: What values and principles should we bear in mind when taking decisions about the internet?

In the first of three blogs about the questions the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation is asking in its call for submissions, we’re focusing on values. Which values should lie behind any effort to build agreements and decide on actions concerning the internet? We’ll be incorporating your answers into our final submission to the Panel!

As we often underline in IFLA blogs, libraries are institutions built on values. Their mission – to preserve our heritage and give access to information to all – is not based on a drive to maximise profit or power, but to ensure that everyone has the possibility to learn, grow and live fulfilled lives.

These values feed into the approach libraries take to their own decision-making, and into the positions they take in broader political debates. This of course includes discussions about how the internet should be governed.

It is therefore good news that the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation has given such attention to the importance of values. This is why our first question is about the values which should steer decision-making about the internet – for example how to protect data, deal with content that some people do not like, or promote connectivity and digital skills.

Which of the values promoted by libraries are applicable? What can the experience of libraries tell us about how to balance conflicting rights and priorities, such as between free speech and privacy? Does the internet, given its role in empowering individuals and its multistakeholder nature (i.e. governments, individuals, businesses and civil society all have important roles to play) mean anything is different?

Let us know what you think! We look forward to seeing your views in the comments box below!

You can read IFLA’s initial submission to the High Level Panel on our website. See all of our blogs on Digital Cooperation here.