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NEWS, OPINION

By Christoph Steck (@christophsteck) Public Policy & Internet Director, Telefónica S.A.

What are today’s challenges for the Internet and Digital World? What needs to be done to provide every user of digital services with a safe and open experience? How can we govern the Internet?

These are just some of the pressing questions many Internet users, policymakers and institutions are asking. To provide our take on this debate, Telefonica has published a Digital Manifesto (download it here) in which we advocate for an open and safe Internet experience for all. We’ve also got case studies such as From Isolation to Digital Inclusion: Delivering solutions for the unconnected.

The Digital Manifesto highlights the policy issues and challenges in unleashing the full potential of the digital world for consumers, businesses and organisations while providing 10 policy recommendations to improve the Internet experience of consumers and generate more investment in digital infrastructures.

The Digital Manifesto focuses on four main areas that affect everyone who uses Digital Services and the Internet:

1. An Open Agenda, which is based on our customer’s expectations and wishes; in a nutshell: they want to have the freedom to choose their digital experience and have control over their digital life.
2. Consumers’ Digital Confidence: the willingness of people to share data online is a fundamental prerequisite of a data-driven economy, so establishing and sustaining customer confidence on the use of Digital Services and the Internet is critical.
3. Global Internet Governance: due to the economic importance of the Internet and its global reach and use (most of the users of the Internet are today outside the USA and EU), its governance has become more challenging and an issue of international politics.
4. Adapt Public Policies to new Digital Markets: policy makers and regulators have a difficult task keeping track of the fast-moving Internet environment, where companies are fiercely competitive and constantly changing. However, policymakers and regulators need to keep pace with the digital revolution as well.

Our policy recommendations are based on the concerns of our customers when they use Digital Services and the Internet. We’ve summarised these recommendations in 10 points:

1. Build Digital Confidence through a safer Internet experience and by empowering citizens to be in control of their personal data
2. Create a Portable Digital Life for consumers by allowing them to use their data, information and applications regardless of their devices or platforms
3. Open up mobile Operating Systems, App Stores and other digital platforms to increase users’ freedom, choice and competition
4. Promote interoperable Internet applications, communication and messaging services to improve consumer experience and foster competition
5. Improve transparency about the conditions of use for Internet services and the distinction between information and advertisement in online search results
6. Transform education, learning and teaching by widely adopting digital technologies and services based on Open Resources and Standards
7. Promote Open Innovation and Open Standards principles, and prevent undue Intellectual Property protection which restricts innovation in the Digital Economy
8. Create fairer policy frameworks by establishing the same rules for the same digital services and smarter regulation by relying more on outcome-based policy making and case-by-case supervision
9. Make the Internet available to everyone by establishing adequate conditions for private investment in broadband infrastructure
10. Evolve the policy models of Global Internet Governance by building on its existing foundations and through the involvement of all stakeholders in an open manner and on equal footing