Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance

Publisher:
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Publication date:
2021-02-01
ISBN:
2398-5038

Issue Number

Latest documents

  • Personal data and personalisation in media: experts’ perceptions of value, benefits, and risks

    Purpose: Media users daily exchange personal data for “free” personalised media. Is this a fair trade, or user “exploitation”? Do personalisation benefits outweigh privacy risks? Design/methodology/approach: This study surveyed experts in three consecutive online rounds (e-Delphi). The authors explored personal data processing value for media, personalisation relevance, benefits and risks for users. The authors scrutinised the value-exchange between media and users and determined whether media communicate transparently, or use “dark patterns” to obtain more personal data. Findings: Communication to users must be clear, correct and concise (prevent user deception). Experts disagree on “payment” with personal data for “free” personalised media. This study discerned obstacles and solutions to substantially balance the interests of media and users (fair value exchange). Personal data processing must be transparent, profitable to media and users. Media can agree “sector-wide” on personalisation transparency. Fair, secure and transparent information disclosure to media is possible through shared responsibility and effort. Originality/value: This study’s innovative contribution is threefold: Firstly, focus on professional stakeholders’ opinion in the value network. Secondly, recommendations to clearly communicate personalised media value, benefits and risks to users. This allows media to create codes of conduct that increase user trust. Thirdly, expanding literature explaining how media realise personal data value, deal with stakeholder interests and position themselves in the data processing debate. This research improves understanding of personal data value, processing benefits and potential risks in a regional context and European regulatory framework.

  • Is COCOMO and Putnam relevant to e-Government? Software development efforts estimation in e-Government in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh

    Purpose: This paper aims to examine the process for estimation of efforts for software development and suggests a framework for estimating software development costs and ensuring quality of code in e-Government projects from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. With no established processes for estimation of efforts, the Government relied on open bids from the market to develop these e-Government applications. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts an exploratory case study approach to analyze the e-Government applications in Andhra Pradesh. Using data from the information technology department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the paper evolves a framework to compute costs of software development, based on the software development life cycle. Findings: The framework helps in arriving at a hurdle price before the tender process. The study has shown that an e-Government application in AP state would cost Rs. 224,000, or US$2,969.25, for a simple application, and Rs. 33,60,000, or US$44,538.71, for a complex application over a five-year period, depending on the complexity and size of the application. This information would be useful to the Government decision-makers for expanding e-Government. Research limitations/implications: Further research may assess the utility of this framework for e-Government support activities like automation of data centers, video conferencing facilities and ushering in financial technologies for encouraging cashless payments. Originality/value: The paper provides information that could be of value at a national level (for India) and at the same time providing a guide for other countries that would like to adopt this framework.

  • Cryptocurrency adoption and continuance intention among Indians: moderating role of perceived government control

    Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of perceived government control (PGC) on cryptocurrency adoption and continuance intention among Indians through an integrated model of the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with the Information System Success Model (ISSM). Design/methodology/approach: This study examined the items of cryptocurrency adoption, continuance intention and PGC adopted from the information systems and cryptocurrency literature. The survey was administered to 391 Indians through an online questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze data. Findings: Results have shown that social influence, effort expectancy and perceived trust are the major drivers for cryptocurrency adoption. All paths leading to cryptocurrency adoption were found to be significant in the hypothesized directions. The study also found that PGC moderates the relationship between adoption and continuance intention. Originality/value: This study advances existing literature by empirically verifying the integrated UTAUT and ISSM in the context of cryptocurrency adoption for investment purposes. The findings offer crypto-developers and crypto-exchange insight into how adoption is diffusing in emerging markets. The findings provide policymakers with meaningful insights into the role of government regulations in cryptocurrency continuance intention.

  • Arab authorities use digital surveillance to control press freedom: journalists’ perceptions

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of digital surveillance by Arab authorities, which face risks and threats of surveillance, and how journalists seek to press freedom by using tools and techniques to communicate securely. Design/methodology/approach: The study used focus group discussions with 14 journalists from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Oman, Jordan and Egypt. While in Egypt, questionnaires were distributed to 199 journalists from both independent and semi-governmental outlets to investigate how Egyptian journalists interpret the new data protection law and its implications for press freedom. Findings: The study indicated that journalists from these countries revealed severe censorship by their respective governments, an element inconsistent with the Arab Constitution. The recommendation of the study encourages media organisations to play a more active role in setting policies that make it easier for journalists to adopt and use digital security tools, while Egyptian journalists see the law as a barrier to media independence because it allows the government to exercise greater information control through digital policy and imposes regulatory rules on journalists. Practical implications: The study identifies practical and theoretical issues in Arab legislation and may reveal practices of interest to scientists researching the balance between data protection, the right of access to information and media research as an example of contemporary government indirect or “soft” censorship methods. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first research contributions to analyse the relationships between Arab authoritarians who used surveillance to restrict freedom of the press after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011 to keep themselves in power as long as they could. In addition, Egypt's use of surveillance under new laws allowed the regimes to install software on the journalists’ phones that enabled them to read the files and emails and track their locations; accordingly, journalists can be targeted by the cyberattack and can be arrested.

  • Creating public value with municipal Wi-Fi networks: a bottom-up methodology

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is evaluate the public value of municipal Wi-Fi networks by examining their costs and benefits. Increasing attention has been focused on the digital divide, i.e. inequalities in digital access, use and benefits, to a lesser extent on technologies providing opportunities to overcome these inequalities. Different theoretical traditions have approached the problem of the digital divide, this research represents a synthesis by combining a bottom-up approach to calculating the benefits of municipal Wi-Fi networks with an in-depth analysis of the digital divide in Europe. Design/methodology/approach: After a systematic literature review, the paper uses a bottom-up methodology to evaluate the public value of a municipal Wi-Fi network by quantifying its potential benefits and costs. In addition, it includes different types of users based on the access opportunities available to them. It develops different scenarios for these users depending on the connection alternatives and the digital skills available across European countries. Findings: By using data from the euro-28, the paper shows that, in general, the private value of a municipal Wi-Fi network is negative, the public value is positive. However, a greater public value is depending on the extent to which the benefits can be attributed to expectations about the arrival and usage of e-government services. Research limitations/implications: Based on the quantitative analysis, the authors suggest that municipal Wi-Fi networks can provide the potential to bridge the digital divide. To generate public value, these networks have to be driven by a strong need for e-government services. Practical implications: However, important factors in the adoption of these services are related to digital skills available in the particular region. Social implications: In addition, public investment is required to stimulate the growth of broadband infrastructure in a complementary manner to enable public wireless networks. Originality/value: The paper combines new insights into the cost calculations of municipal Wi-Fi networks with socioeconomic data on digital skills to examine different types of users.

  • Crossroad of intellectual property rights of technology innovators and human rights: a systematic literature review

    Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the scholarly approach to examine the issues at the intersection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and human rights (HRs) and ways to address, to examine broad categories of approaches used by the scholars in examining this conflict, their justification and to provide concrete directions for HRs framework of intellectual property. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducted systematic literature review of 94 research articles published between 1996 and 2021, focusing on cross roads between IPRs and HRs. Findings: The in-depth content analysis of 94 published research papers revealed the polarization of scholarly opinion on the HRs perspective of IPRs. Originality/value: Very limited efforts were made in past to synthesize and organize scholarly research on the conflict between IPRs and HRs covering the right to education, to access information, to food, etc. besides the right to health care. This study synthesized and analyzed the scholarly research on the crossroad between IPRs and HRs, revealed critical conflict areas and collated the justifications of opposing approaches to provide inputs to international organizations, policymakers and governments for the enforcement of IPRs from the perspective of HRs.

  • Ethical governance model for the data economy ecosystems

    Purpose: Data economy is a recent phenomenon, raised by digital transformation and platformisation, which has enabled the concentration of data that can be used in economic purposes. However, there is a lack of clear procedures and ethical rules on how data economy ecosystems are governed. As a response to the current situation, there has been criticism and demands for the governance of data use to prevent unethical consequences that have already manifested. Thus, ethical governance of the data economy ecosystems is needed. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new ethical governance model for data economy ecosystems. The proposed model offers a more balanced solution for the current situation where a few global large-scale enterprises dominate the data market and may use oligopolistic power over other stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual article that covers theory-based discourse ethical reflection of data economy ecosystems governance. The study is based on the premise of the discourse ethics where inclusion of all stakeholders is needed for creating a transparent and ethical data economy. Findings: This article offers self-regulation tool for data economy ecosystems by discourse ethical approach which is designed in the governance model. The model aims to balance data “markets” by offering more transparent, democratic and equal system than currently. Originality/value: By offering a new ethically justified governance model, we may create a trust structure where rules are visible and all stakeholders are treated fairly.

  • The 5G C-band auctions across Europe: an assessment

    Purpose: This study aims to investigate how the licensing of 3.6 GHz (C-band) spectrum has progressed throughout Europe. Design/methodology/approach: Original databases have been created by the authors covering every aspect of the C-band auctions in Europe, and these have been subjected to analysis to draw out the key themes. Findings: Although there have been delays in licensing the C-band, the process is now largely complete and the first launches have taken place. However, there has been considerable diversity in the rules underpinning the licenses and considerable differences in the amounts raised measured in $/MHz/pop. Research limitations/implications: It is difficult to make comparisons across a substantial sample of disparate countries because of the need to compare on a like-for-like basis – an issue that is generally glossed over in the literature. This has been addressed in this paper but some issues inevitably remain unresolved. Practical implications: The development of 5G is highly contingent on the use of the C-band not just in Europe but elsewhere in the world where less-developed countries can learn from the European experience. Originality/value: While the subject matter has received attention elsewhere, this represents the most up-to-date version with the largest sample of European countries.

  • Whither the need and motivation for open government data (OGD) promotional strategies?

    Purpose: It has been underscored in the extant literature that open government data (OGD) has not percolated across the length and breadth of any country, let alone the awareness of the OGD among the stakeholders themselves. In this vein, this study aims to underline the reasons as to why OGD promotion merits consideration apart from underlining the manner in which OGD promotion may be done. Design/methodology/approach: Based on literature review on the OGD conceptual models and government promotion initiatives, the study further sketches an OGD model across four quadrants: beginners, followers, fast-trackers, trend-setters on the basis of the progress made in their OGD initiatives besides underlining the four elements of OGD promotional strategy as media, arena, substance and stakeholders. Also, the study explores the drivers and barriers to OGD promotional initiatives. Findings: The study shows that across the OGD quadrants, the promotional strategies vary in terms of the 4As (acceptability, affordability, accessibility and awareness), and the same get reflected across MASS. Further, the drivers for OGD promotional initiatives are building citizens’ trust and forging stakeholder participation and collaboration in administration, thereby furthering transparency in administration, meeting the needs of the stakeholders, providing the desired impetus to value creation and innovation by the stakeholders and the need for furthering economic growth. Likewise, the barriers toward OGD promotion are linked with the lack of political will, lack of organizational leadership, mission and vision, lack of involvement of government departments, lack of budget and lack of requisite infrastructure for promotion. Originality/value: Hitherto, OGD research has underscored the need to make the users aware of the potential of OGD initiative; however, no study has been undertaken to understand the manner in which the awareness may be driven among the users – the present study is a first step in this direction.

  • Technology readiness and the older citizen’s acceptance of m-health services in India

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to create a theoretical model by combining the technology acceptance model (TAM) with the theory of technology readiness (TR) and then empirically test it to identify the key factors influencing older citizens’ intention to adopt and use mobile health (m-health), which has emerged as a tool to facilitate health-care rights for all. Design/methodology/approach: The convenience sampling method was used to collect data from 465 respondents aged 60 and up from the Delhi-National capital region of India using a questionnaire survey method. The data collected for this study were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.0. Findings: The study’s findings indicate that all TR components influence perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use. The exception is discomfort, which does not affect perceived ease of use (PEOU). Furthermore, PU and PEOU influenced the older citizen’s attitude toward m-health, and attitude influenced their intention to use m-health applications. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to apply the TAM in combination with TR index to examine the acceptability of m-health consulting by the older citizen in an emerging economy like India.

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