Geneva Digital Watch newsletter

Issue 54, October 2020: An overview of digital policy trends related to digital currencies, content policy, and the governance of advanced technologies. A look at the cyber-norms-related proposals put forward by several countries under the auspices of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly. An overview of the antitrust case filed by the US government against Google... (See more)

Issue 53, September 2020: An overview of digital policy trends, including the ongoing TikTok and WeChat controversy in the USA, and the growing push for content regulation. An analysis of how digital policy issues featured in statements at the 75th UN General Assembly. A look at the EU's digital ambitions. A presentation of new tools for digital policy practitioners launched by... (See more)

Issue 52, July and August 2020: An overview of digital policy trends over the past six months including the TikTok and WeChat controversy in the USA, privacy-related cases and investigations on the rise, and tech companies in the spotlight over antitrust issues. A review of what the invalidation of the EU-US Privacy Shield means for cross border data transfers.An overview of... (See more)

Issue 51, June 2020: An overview of digital policy trends over the past six months including data governance, cybersecurity, COVID-19’s digital policy implications, taxation, and digital cooperation. An analysis of the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation. A look at the state of affairs at national and international levels when it comes to taxation in the... (See more)

Issue 50, May 2020: An overview of digital policy trends in May: new regulations target social media companies; contact tracing apps remain in focus; cyber-attacks get back to 'normal'. A data analysis to mark the 50th edition of the newsletter, titled The issues that made the headlines. An overview of the tech geopolitics between the USA and China, with a focus on the US... (See more)

Issue 49, April 2020: An overview of digital policy trends in April: tackling misinformation and protecting media freedom in a time of crisis; privacy in the spotlight - from data hacks to data tracing apps; and digital policy discussions moving online. A mapping of countries that have introduced or are planning to introduce contact tracing apps to fight the COVID-19 pandemic... (See more)

Issue 48, March 2020: An overview of the profound and cross-cutting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multiple areas of digital policy. An editorial titled 'Preparing for the "day after"': The COVID-19 crisis is a stress-test for the Internet and its governance. Can it pave the way for a strengthened digital governance space? Also included: a data anlaysis on how COVID-19... (See more)

Issue 47, February 2020: An overview of trends in February 2020: developments in EU digital policy, the interplay between health and digital technologies, and international discussions on cybersecurity. A summary of the OEWG discussions on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. An analysis of the role of digital tech and policy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. A... (See more)

Issue 46, January 2020: An overview of trends in January 2020: the decade of action - optimising the interplay between natural and digital ecosystems; cybercrime resolution negotiations; and the increasing interest of regulators and banks in digital currencies. The .org sale: an overview of its main elements and the controversy surrounding it. A data analysis on Uber: where is... (See more)

Issue 45, November & December 2019: An overview of trends in November and December 2019: discussions on cyber issues continue at the UN; Internet companies take new measures to address online misinformation and deepfakes; the data breach landscape of 2019; a cover story on Berlin 2019: The dawn of a new IGF?; and the prominent digital issues in November and december. Also... (See more)

Issue 44, October 2019: Our special coverage on the digital policy priorities of the new European Commission in the next five years. What will this mean for the world? An overview of trends in October: Governments want backdoor access to data; facial recognition technology faces more tests; Facebook’s Libra is under scrutiny. The most prominent issues were: sustainable... (See more)

Issue 43, September 2019: An overview of trends in September: New rules are issued on the status of gig workers; Libra is facing opposition; and digital identity programmes are taking off. A review of the main digital policy developments in September. Global IG architecture; security; e-commerce and the Internet economy; and, digital rights were the most prominent issues. In... (See more)

Issue 42, July and August 2019: An overview of trends in July and August included privacy investigations on the rise; Internet access disrupted in many regions; and, AI developments continue at full speed. A review of the main digital policy developments showed that sustainable development, security; e-commerce and the Internet economy; digital rights; jurisdiction & legal... (See more)

Issue 41, June 2019: An overview of trends in June: Facebook’s plans cryptocurrency ‘Libra’, online rental business coming under fire and a renewed push to tax digital giants; a review of the main digital policy developments in June, A feature on Facebook’s recently announced cryptocurrency Libra; a summary of the three proposed methods of  mechanisms for global digital... (See more)

Issue 40, May 2019: An overview of trends in May: the Huawei controversy rages on, the fight against violent extremism is in the spotlight, and facial recognition technology raises alarms. A review of the main digital policy developments in May which show that security; e-commerce and the Internet economy; digital rights; and new technologies were prominent issues in May. An... (See more)

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... (See more)

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... (See more)

Issue 37, January 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... (See more)

Issue 36, November 2018:  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... (See more)

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... (See more)

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... (See more)

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... (See more)

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... (See more)

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... (See more)

An overview of the top digital policy trends in January included Internet companies’ behaviour under scrutiny, governments exerting more pressure on companies to remove illegal content, and new legal measures planned to tackle fake news. Also in this issue: a round-up of the main developments that shaped digital policy in 2017; an overview of top 10 digital policy predictions... (See more)

Issue 30, April 2018: The main digital policy trends in April included increasing scrutiny for the tech industry, a Cybersecurity Tech Accord, and a busy month for e-commerce. Also in this issue: a round-up of the discussions held at the UNCTAD E-Commerce Week, where participants explored opportunities and challenges of the evolving digital economy; a summary of the main issues... (See more)

Issue 29, March 2018: An overview of the top digital policy trends in March included increasing scrutiny on Facebook and other Internet companies, taxation in the digital economy continuing to be in focus, and autonomous car accident amplifying concerns over safety and security issues. Also included: an analysis of the Cambridge Analytica case and the digital policy... (See more)

Issue 28, February 2018: The top digital policy trends in February included renewed calls for cyber norms, experts assessing the GDPR-readiness of companies and countries, and details on proposed EU tax reforms emerging. Also included in this issue: an analysis of the implications and reactions to the US Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (CLOUD Act); a round-up of the... (See more)

Issue 26, November 2017: The top digital policy trends in November included the ongoing search for cyber-norms at international level, new data breaches and cyber vulnerabilities raising questions about disclosure obligations, and courts continuing to shape the applicability of digital policies across different jurisdictions, and rifts appearing in e-commerce negotiations ahead... (See more)

Issue 25, October 2017: An overview of the top digital policy trends in October included courts revisiting privacy-related issues, governments increasingly focusing on artificial intelligence and considering the legal status of robots, and new indications that automation will affect jobs and employment. Also included: a look at the EU General Data Protection Regulation and the... (See more)

Issue 24, September 2017: The top digital policy trends in September included proposals from European countries to change the rules regarding the taxation of Internet companies, continuous developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), increased governmental pressures on technology companies to remove extremist content, bans on Initial Coin Offerings in China, and... (See more)

Issue 23, August 2017: An overview of the top trends in July and August included developments in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics picking up pace globally; extremist content remaining a cause of concern; countries banning Virtual Private Networks; and Uber suspended in more countries. Also included: an analysis of the debate about the right to be forgotten, as... (See more)

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... (See more)