Status:
IGF Theme(s) for workshop: Access and Diversity
Main theme question address by workshop: What are the policy challenges around free flow of information, freedom of expression and human rights and the Internet
Concise description of the proposed workshop:
The transformative potential of broadband Internet to empower citizens and to promote innovation, social progress and economic development is well documented, and underpins the widespread adoption of strategies to promote universal access to broadband. But it is not sufficient to rely upon the ubiquitous availability of broadband infrastructure alone to achieve this potential. Consumers must also have a real choice of services at affordable prices, accurate and freely-available information about them, and adequate means of redress when problems arise.
A multilingual survey of 9 000 consumers in 40 countries conducted in 2011 suggests that this is too often not the case. Consumers are frequently dissatisfied with the speed of broadband service (and the accuracy of promises made about it), have difficulty understanding and comparing the costs of services, and feel that they have no recourse when things go wrong. Meanwhile, regulators and consumer groups alike are often still catching up with the technology.
This workshop will explore possible strategies for improving consumer protection in ICT services, particularly broadband. These include both improved regulatory oversight of broadband service providers, and greater corporate social responsibility spurred on by consumer rights advocacy. Case studies to be presented include a "broadband nutrition label" to allow consumers to more easily compare prices and services, national-level campaigning against the use of contractual lock-in that limits competition, regulation to protect and empower consumers, and the establishment of an independent ombudsman service for broadband complaints.
Background Paper: paper3.pdf
Name of the organiser(s) of the workshop and their affiliation to various stakeholder groups:
- Consumers International (civil society)
- LINK Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (academic community)
Have you, or any of your co-organisers, organised an IGF workshop before?: Yes
Please provide link(s) to workshop(s) or report(s):
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=WSProposals2011View&wspid=21
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/index.php/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=WSProposals2009View&wspid=97
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=WSProposals2011View&wspid=10
Provide the names and affiliations of the panellists you are planning to invite:
- Charley Lewis, LINK Centre (academic community)
- Jeremy Malcolm, Consumers International (civil society)
- Michael Bartholemew, ETNO (private sector)
- S C Sahasrabudhe, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (academic community)
- Jacquelynn Ruff, Verizon (private sector)
- Veridiana Alimonti, IDEC (civil society)
Name of Remote Moderator(s):
TBC