WSIS is Over, But the Debate has Just Begun

In this article, Murali Shanmugavelan, head of Panos London's information society project, discusses the information society agenda and reviews the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) , posing the question - was it worth it? He goes on to offer insights about the way forward for technology that benefits economically poor and marginalised populations.

According to Shanmugavelan, WSIS has provided a valuable backdrop for civil society organisations (CSOs) that have been working on information and communications issues. The context offered by WSIS - together with the very information and communication technologies (ICTs) that dominated the Summit - have helped CSOs to share their experiences more than ever before. WSIS provided a platform for governments, donors, activists and practitioners to come together and understand each others’ points of view. The participation of various heads of state and high-level diplomats signified the political importance of WSIS.

However, the article proposes that the commitments adopted at the Summit are largely meaningless unless national governments take initiatives to implement them. Challenges such as promoting good governance and transparency through the use of ICTs, or increasing access to information for the poor and the marginalised, require clear policies and actions. An international meeting such as WSIS can provide ideas and encouragement, but it cannot force governments to fulfil their promises.

The author suggests that the next issue on the agenda is the de-politicisation of information society issues. Most ICT projects - from telecentres to community media centres - are isolated from other social and political processes. But information and communication flows are about democracy and participation, and not just about making technologies available and affordable. The usefullness of ICT-enabled development projects can only be fully realised when the poor and marginalised are able to use these tools to voice their needs and access their entitlements. The author states that there is a need to invest in infrastructure (including electricity and roads) and internet backbones to make the information society work.

According to the article, the real work lies ahead on two levels. Internationally, some of the debates emerging from WSIS, such as proprietary software and intellectual property rights, will be discussed in other inter-governmental forums such as the World Trade Organisation. Nationally, CSOs and others will have to take note of the fact that efforts to build an inclusive information society are influenced by many non-ICT policy instruments. CSOs and others would do well to reflect on how they engaged with the media at WSIS. After all, freedom of expression and information and the fight against corruption have historically been core issues for the ‘traditional’ media. Ultimately, for any of these issues to be moved forward, the media must be regarded as a key partner in the information society.