2019 fait suite à une année cauchemardesque pour Facebook, qui a mis en lumière la face sombre du géant technologique de la Silicon Valley. Cette année, c’est aussi une année cruciale pour le continent européen, car année d’élection du Parlement européen, dans un contexte de grande incertitude et de défiance croissante envers les institutions politiques.Continue reading “Que faire face à l’impérialisme de plateforme?”
Category Archives: All
Fake news and democracy
At a time when fake news spread widely, social media platforms and governments have a hard time to find new ways to regulate and constrain this (not so new) phenomenon. After the Brazilian election, I was invited by the Swiss TV program “Geopolitis” to talk about this phenomenon and what it means for European democracies.Continue reading “Fake news and democracy”
From great promises to pitfalls
If the US presidential campaigns of 2008 and 2012 seemed to confirm the conviction that digital tools, including the internet and social networks, empowered civil society organisations and grassroots movements, and thus reinforced democracy, the US Presidential campaign of 2016 highlighted the challenges posed by digital technologies. Internet and digital technologies were first seen asContinue reading “From great promises to pitfalls”
Plurality of opinions
Digital technologies are ubiquitous. From sunrise to sunset, we are immersed in a world where virtual and real intermingle permanently. The decisions we make every day are now heavily influenced by technology. We have gained new skills in terms of access to information. The world is within the reach of a click. Everything is alwaysContinue reading “Plurality of opinions”
Journalism 2.0
The 21st century saw the emergence of the social media era that empowered individuals and civil society to interact and collaborate. Information is now shared globally and instantaneously: Twitter replaced newspapers by becoming the first source of information: an event happens in the world…and we all check Twitter and YouTube for more information, and lookContinue reading “Journalism 2.0”
Civil society and ICTs
Recent information revolutions are based on the emergence of new information and communication technologies (ICTs), which encapsulate the converging set of technologies in microelectronics, computing telecommunications and optoelectronics.[1] Previous industrial revolutions were based on technologies that used cheap inputs of energy. According to Castells, new ICTs are based on cheap inputs of information. This shiftContinue reading “Civil society and ICTs”
Personal data and trust
At the beginning of the generalization of internet, many scholars and policy-makers were techno-optimist: seeing this transformational technology as a promising opportunity to increase public participation in local to global governance mechanisms, improve public institutions efficiency and effectiveness, and bring peoples together by bridging the gap between cultures, languages and territories. Since then, a numberContinue reading “Personal data and trust”
Networked integrity
This blog post is part of a series of articles exploring potential links between blockchain technologies and international relations. Since many students asked me to explain this new technology, I’ve decided to dive into the Blockchain with the intention to come up with a clear and didactical presentation. This peer-to-peer distributed network is a ledger ofContinue reading “Networked integrity”
Born with the 3rd screen
Born with the third screen, the Net generation or digital grown ups to quote Don Tapscott, don’t use their mobile phone to call someone but rather to tweet, take a photo and upload it on Instagram, record a video and share it on Snapchat, play an online video game, send instant messages to their group of friendsContinue reading “Born with the 3rd screen”
Technology and democracy
According to the OECD, participation[1] comprises of three elements: access to information, consultation and active participation. It is often said that information and communication technologies (ICTs) have increased participation in global governance arrangements by providing global and affordable access to information; offering new possibilities to consult vast number of individuals and stakeholders simultaneously, and enablingContinue reading “Technology and democracy”
UE et participation numérique
Les Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC) offrent non seulement de nouvelles opportunités, mais aussi peuvent aussi créer de nouvelles barrières. Les entreprises de communication stratégique, telle Cambridge Analytica, combinant des outils d’exploration, d’analyse des données et de profils en ligne, sont de plus en plus nombreuses à tenter d’influencer les résultats desContinue reading “UE et participation numérique”
ICTs and Multi-Stakeholderism
Thanks to ICTs, individuals and organizations transform a grasp of how the world works into working knowledge. This skill revolution consists of an interplay between technologies, education and experience. These three elements make individuals grow exponentially and enable them to catch the attention of global leaders. [1] Governments, corporations and other collectivities also gained newContinue reading “ICTs and Multi-Stakeholderism”
Financial Institutions and participation
The most important impact that ICTs may have is in the increasing openness and possibility for mass collaboration and participation, which in turn is expected to gradually change governance models. [1] Thanks to ICTs, openness of governance systems and integration of policy making mechanisms can harness collective intelligence, building on the knowledge, experience, and competenceContinue reading “Financial Institutions and participation”
Health Institutions and participation
The most important impact that ICTs may have is in the increasing openness and possibility for mass collaboration and participation, which in turn is expected to gradually change governance models. [1] Thanks to ICTs, openness of governance systems and integration of policy making mechanisms can harness collective intelligence, building on the knowledge, experience, and competenceContinue reading “Health Institutions and participation”
Capacity Building and Financial IOs
According to the OECD, capacity development is the process whereby people, organizations and society as a whole unleash, strengthen, create, adapt and maintain capacity over time.[1] Capacity building needs to be distinguished from access to information. Guideline, handouts and documentation is considered access to information. Capacity building is understood here in a restrictive definition asContinue reading “Capacity Building and Financial IOs”
Capacity Building and Health IOs
According to the OECD, capacity development is the process whereby people, organizations and society as a whole unleash, strengthen, create, adapt and maintain capacity over time.[1] Capacity building needs to be distinguished from access to information. Guideline, handouts and documentation is considered access to information. Capacity building is understood here in a restrictive definition asContinue reading “Capacity Building and Health IOs”
Transparency and Financial IOs
Transparency is often considered a prerequisite for democratic accountability, and can be conceptualized as “the extent to which individuals who may be significantly affected by a decision are able to learn about the decision-making process, including its existence, subject matter, structure and current status” (Dingwerth, 2007: 30). [1] Many global institutions offer online information forContinue reading “Transparency and Financial IOs”
Gouvernance Européenne
La nature pourvoit à tous les aspects de la vie humaine, sous forme de nourriture, médicaments, et ressources naturelles, mais également comme source d’innovation, loisirs, et émerveillements. Souvent considérée comme inaltérable, notre planète s’adapte de plus en plus difficilement aux besoins grandissants de l’humanité. Au moment clé où certains États remettent en cause l’importance etContinue reading “Gouvernance Européenne”
ICTs, Efficiency and ITU
Efficiency means the good use of time and energy in a way that does not waste any. [1] In this subsection, we will examine how ICTs impact ITU-T efficiency by first examining two approval processes and then ITU-T’s main document production. This post will analyze the impact of ICTs on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)Continue reading “ICTs, Efficiency and ITU “
ICTs, Openness and ITU
One of the most debated impacts of ICTs on international affairs concerns the increasing openness and possibility for mass collaboration offered by ICTs, which are expected to gradually change governance models.[1] Thanks to ICTs, openness of governance systems and integration of policy making mechanisms can harness collective intelligence, building on the knowledge, experience, and competenceContinue reading “ICTs, Openness and ITU”