Some important issues to consider when thinking about what role Canada should play in global ICT include: privacy and security; Internet activism and the open source movement; intellectual property and open access; the digital divide; and, media concentration and regulation. This discussion guide provides a brief overview of these complex issues, which you will have a chance to discuss further in your dialogue session.

1. Privacy and security

Privacy and security are closely related concepts. The nature of the Internet, and particularly the emergence of Web 2.0, means citizens are putting what might be considered private information into the hands of their Internet service providers and other companies. The availability of personal information to marketers, and the increasing amount of ‘targeted' advertising -- advertising that is designed for you based on what you search for or email about - have raised questions about citizens' rights in the context of ICT.

In undemocratic countries, activists take particular risks when using the web, as governments sometimes use their private information to crack down on what we in Canada see as free speech or legitimate dissent. The case of Shi Tao, a pro-democracy activist who was jailed after the Internet service provider Yahoo turned his emails over to the Chinese government, has raised questions about the right to privacy and the extent of government surveillance in both democratic and non-democratic countries.

In some cases, however, governments conduct surveillance on web-based transactions and communication not to crack down on pro-democracy movements, but to prevent activities like terrorism or the exploitation of minors. Extremist groups are quick to adopt ICT to spread their political views and influence others, and also to coordinate their activities. If security agencies can access these groups' web-based communication they may have more success in stopping illegal and dangerous activities. The right to privacy in this context is complicated. What kind of privacy protection, both from governments and businesses, are citizens entitled to when they use ICT ? What role can democratic governments like Canada play in ensuring privacy?

Some Canadians have raised concerns about the actions of Canadian technology companies abroad. In order to operate in China, for example, companies must comply with the government's insistence on being able to access the information of Internet users, and to filter out certain types of information and websites it does not want citizens to access. The possibility of investing in China is hugely attractive to Canadian companies: in 2006 Canadian companies made over $7 billion by exporting goods to China. The answer to the question of whether Canadian businesses should be developing and selling technologies that enable questionable activities by governments or individuals depends on one's perspectives and assumptions about technology, trade and human rights.

2. Internet activism and the Open Source movement

The public availability of the Internet enables immediate global communication not only by large companies and international bodies but also by non-profit and public advocacy organizations and coalitions of all sizes. By giving people new tools for organizing and communicating, and in some cases making it easier for activists to assemble larger broad-based coalitions, ICT has changed the nature of political activism. The rapid spread of information via the Internet also enables the general public to be more quickly informed about global events. Web 2.0 is important here - videos of the pro-democracy demonstration by monks in Burma/Myanmar filmed by the monks themselves, for example, would not have been available even ten years ago. What effect this will have on public concern about global issues is as yet unclear.

Future use of the Internet will depend not only on the flow of information, but also on the ability of ordinary people to adapt and apply ICT as they see fit. Dissatisfaction with commercial software companies' ability to exercise control over their software packages and to restrict their application has led to what is called the ‘open source' movement. Advocates of open source support the development of software packages whose code (the source of the software) can be obtained freely and altered or developed to suit the users' needs. They argue that ICT tools should be in the public domain to generate greater knowledge sharing in society. Commercial software companies counter this, arguing that they invest huge capital and resources in research and development and, as with any other commercial venture, are entitled to restrict usage in order to recoup their investment.

3. Intellectual property and Open Access

In the context of ICT, the term "intellectual property" refers to the issue of who owns the information and products that we access using ICT. Supporters of strict copyright laws and protection for the creators of intellectual property argue that copyright protection is good not only for the creators themselves but also for the general public, as creators have an economic incentive to produce more and better works and products.
Those who oppose strict intellectual property and copyright protection are concerned about the availability of products, both commercial and creative, to the general public. They think that the public should be able to download music, movies or other works without cost. Some opponents of strict copyright laws also argue that users should be free to incorporate parts of other works in the interests of parody or critique without worrying about violating these laws and risking fines or other legal penalties. There is also an important question of public access to government or publicly funded research. Should the public have the right to access the research funded by the government, or should the results be owned by private interests?

A related issue is government's stewardship role in guarding and preserving information and research for future generations. Some feel that these public resources are endangered because of inadequate resources.
Alongside the open source movement, what is called the ‘open access' movement has emerged to advocate alternatives to a strict intellectual property rights regime. Open access is free, immediate, and permanent online access to scientific and scholarly materials for all users. . Supporters of open access argue that it maximizes the benefits of scientific research by making it available to the public. Opponents, many from commercial journal publishers, warn that the open-access publishing model is economically unsustainable as it does not give publishers adequate incentive to publish new materials. Together, the open source and open access movements raise questions about access to information and tools in a new knowledge-based economy.

In 2007, proposed new legislation on federal copyright reform in Canada provoked a heated debate. The copyright law would have imposed strict rules on copying and downloading music and other digital media, making most sharing of digital information illegal. Critics of the proposed legislation quickly organized a campaign against the legislation via the Internet, using Internet activism as outlined in the previous section, and were successful in extending the debate about the proposed legislation. How to protect intellectual property while also allowing Canadians optimal access to cultural and other products remains a key policy concern.

4. Digital divide

This refers to the divide between people who enjoy access to and the ability to use ICT and those who do not - whether they are in developing countries or countries like Canada. Reasons for this divide include: lack of ICT infrastructure; limited accessibility of ICT facilities; unaffordable services; and lack of education and training. This divide can have effects far beyond ICT itself: it can lead to a divide in educational, professional and lifestyle opportunities.

The gap is not in dispute but there are different perspectives on whether and how to close it. While some people see the digital divide as a cause of poverty and believe that investment in ICT will trigger development, others argue that lack of access to communication is a result of poverty, a problem that should be addressed before the widespread introduction of ICT. They question whether any investment in ICT makes sense in countries like Afghanistan, where the literacy rate is 28% . Another set of arguments says that the digital divide should not be the cause of too much concern, and is a natural outcome of different levels of development worldwide.

Within Canada, the digital divide is determined mainly by geography, income, age and gender. In 2005, only 58% of Canadians living in rural and small town areas accessed the Internet, well below the national average. Older individuals and those with less education and lower incomes are less likely to use the Internet (though in rural and small town Canada, women are more likely to use the Internet than men). Providing accessible and affordable broadband Internet to more rural and remote areas remains a challenge. This becomes an economic concern when we consider that Canadians must be able to compete globally in the knowledge economy.

5. Media concentration and regulation

The term "concentration" refers to the domination of the media sector (nationally and globally) by a small number of companies that own a large share of the media products. This phenomenon will probably continue as larger firms acquire smaller ones. In Canada, big multinational firms like CanWest -- whose holdings include the Global TV network, the National Post, 11 English-language major metropolitan daily newspapers and many smaller market dailies and free weeklies --control a large percentage of our media market. In December 2007, CanWest also took over one of the country's top entertainment companies, Alliance Atlantis Communications, with substantial financial involvement by New York-based Goldman Sachs, one of the world's biggest investment banks, raising concerns about foreign ownership, especially among the union representing Alliance Atlantis employees.

The degree and type of concentration in a country's media industry often depends on the extent to which it is regulated. Deregulation is the process by which governments remove, reduce, or simplify restrictions on business and individuals with the intent of encouraging the efficient operation of markets. Supporters of deregulation argue that it moves ICT forward by stimulating innovation, promoting access to the communications system, lowering costs and creating more and better products. In many countries, technology licensing regulations can create barriers in access to ICT. Some governments - in the global north and south - permit high license fees, high customs duties on imported equipment and fail to encourage competition among service providers. Such practices limit the introduction and spread of new technologies and increase the price of ICT. Deregulation has been seen as a crucial factor in the development of innovations in ICT, as it has made the development of such technology more profitable for ICT companies.

Regulation can also serve to limit the size of media and technology companies by preventing too much concentration. Supporters of this sort of regulation argue that concentration leads to monopolies and lack of competition, which also drive up the price of services. When only one or a few companies provide access to certain technologies, they can determine the price to charge. According to this reasoning, government should prevent excessive concentration and ensure that media reflects a diversity of viewpoints and open discussion in democratic society.

Another issue in Canada has to do with cultural sovereignty. The regulatory body for the Canadian telecommunications industry, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), requires radio and television stations to play a certain percentage of Canadian-made content. The CRTC claims these regulations are important for two reasons: culturally, Canadian news and entertainment programs must give voice to Canadians, to their talent and their shared experiences, and; economically, it means jobs for thousands of Canadians . Increasing foreign and concentrated ownership has raised concerns about the quantity and quality of Canadian-made content available to Canadians. The rise of digital media is also a factor here: the CRTC does not have, and probably could not impose, similar Canadian content requirements for the Internet. What kinds of controls, if any, should we impose on cultural imports from other countries? Should we protect Canadian cultural identity? If so, how? These are important questions for Canadians to consider, and areas where government needs direction from citizens.

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