Geneva Digital Watch newsletter

Issue 39, April 2019: An overview of the top digital trends, including: misinformation as a concern in upcoming elections; new data breaches causing more pressure on companies; and, digital health in focus; and a review of main digital policy developments in April, which shows that: security; e-commerce and Internet economy; digital rights; jurisdiction and legal issues; and, new technologies were prominent issues. Also included are an analysis of the controversy over 5G products; a data analysis section shedding light on national artificial intelligence (AI) strategies, and the calendar of upcoming events in May.

Issue 38, February/March 2019: An overview of the top digital policy trends, including: efforts to curb the spread of harmful content intensifying; old concerns and new policy initiatives in cybersecurity; the Internet economy in focus again. Also included are an analysis of the new Copyright Directive approved by the European Parliament; an in-depth view of artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives launched in the past few months; the Internet Governance Barometer for February and March; a review of the main digital-policy-related events that were held in International Geneva during February and March; and an overview of the main global digital policy events in May.

Issue 37 February 2019: An overview of top ten digital policy predictions for 2019; an analysis of two groups created by UN General Assembly to explore responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, proposed by Russia and USA; the main findings of our mapping of cryptocurrency and crypto-assets regulations; the Internet Governance Barometer for January; a review of the main digital policy events that were held in Geneva during January and an overview of the main digital policy events in 2019.

Published on 7 December, Issue 36 of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter, carries the latest in digital policy. Highlights include: An abundance of new cybersecurity declarations and resolutions; calls for ethical considerations in development of artificial intelligence systems; the gig economy in focus again; an in-depth analysis of digital identity issues; an analysis of the ‘Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace’; the Internet Governance Barometer for November, which shows that global IG architecture, security, digital rights, jurisdiction and legal issues, and new technologies were prominent issues in November; and a review of the main digital policy-related events that were held in International Geneva during the past month. The November issue of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter is now available in French, German and Bahasa Indonesian.

Issue 35, October 2018: An overview of the top digital policy trends in October included the continuation of data breaches and tech giants facing tougher backlash; a new digital services tax announced in the United Kingdom (UK); a possible change in applying antitrust rules, in order to protect competition per se. Also included are an in-depth analysis of Blockchain’s (in)compatibility with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); an analysis of new resolutions on cybersecurity issues introduced by US and Russia respectively in the First Committee of the UN General Assembly; the Internet Governance Barometer showing prominent issues in October; main digital-policy-related events that were held in International Geneva during the past month; and an overview of the Geneva Internet Platform’s (GIP) activities during the 13th Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The October issue is now available in French, German and Bahasa Indonesian.

Issue 34, September 2018: An overview of the top digital policy trends in September included countries stepping up their cyber offensive capabilities; data localisation discussions intensifying again, particularly in India; and an analysis of countries’ priorities on digital policy, as stated by heads of states during the General Debate at the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly. Also included was an in-depth analysis of the main positions in data governance debates: the free flow of data and the localisation of data; the Internet Governance Barometer showing prominent issues in September; main digital-policy-related events that were held in International Geneva during the past month. The September issue is also available in French, German, Bahasa Indonesian.

Issue 33, August 2018: An overview of the top digital policy trends in July and August included the development of new policy initiatives discussing the digital future, such as the UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation; points discussed at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and data governance issues being as the fore. Also included in this issue: a summary of the proceedings of the second meeting of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE); a short examination of the economic impact of data centres; a brief overview of the revised taxonomy of digital policy used by DiploFoundation; the Internet Governance Barometer showing prominent issues in July and August; a review of the main digital-policy-related events that were held in Geneva during July and August. The August issue is available in French, German, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesian.

Issue 32, June 2018: The June issue contained a mid-year review, which analysed ten major trends in digital policy in the first six months of 2018; the trends include developments related to the GDPR, artificial intelligence, digital trade and the Internet economy, cybersecurity geopolitics, bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, the role of courts as makers of digital rules, content policy, ICANN, encryption, and net neutrality. Also in this issue are an analysis of arguments for and against Article 13 of the EU Copyright Directive; a look at how ICANN has been working to bring its policies in line with GDPR, especially regarding its WHOIS system and the handling of personal data of domain name registrants; the emergence of ‘tech’ as an increasingly dominant prefix or descriptor in describing digital-related issues; the Internet Governance Barometer for June, which shows global IG architecture, digital rights,  jurisdiction and legal issue as well as new technologies being among the most prominent issues this month; a review of the main digital-policy-related events that were held in Geneva during the past month. The June issue of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter is now available in French, German and Portuguese.

Issue 31, May 2018:  An overview of the top digital policy trends in May included the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect, triggering an eleventh-hour rush for companies and organisations to update their privacy policies; the scrutiny of Facebook practices continuing, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with members of the European Parliament, and artificial intelligence developments being prominent again; an overview of the main points that Facebook’s CEO touched on during his meeting with leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament, among them; a look at inclusive finance and its digital policy implications; a crossword to test your knowledge on some of the main provisions of the EU GDPR; the Internet Governance Barometer for May, which shows the Internet economy, digital rights, and new technologies being among the most prominent issues this month; a review of the main digital-policy-related events that were held in International Geneva during the past month. The May issue of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter is now available in French, German, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesian.

Issue 22, June 2017: The top trends in June, including new cyber-norms proposed by the private sector; governments renewing calls for more regulation of the Internet and more responsibility from the part of the private sector; court ruling placing digital legacies in focus; and widespread disruptions in Internet access. Also included: an analysis of the last meeting of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (UN GGE) and its inability to reach consensus over a final report; a two-page special on artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications and implications; a round-up of the main digital policy updates of the month; and a review of the main digital policy events in International Geneva in June. The newsletter is now available in French and in Bahasa Indonesian.