Civil Society Organizations and the Internet

1. Civil Society Organizations and the Internet Enhancing Promotion of the Rule of Law Brian D. Anderson and Howard N. Fenton Claude W. Pettit College of Law Ohio Northern University Ada, Ohio, USA

2. The Internet and Civil Society Orgs. Core principles of democratic governance and rule of law Internet and ICT use by CSOs can enhance promotion of good governance and the rule of law Transparency Accessibility Accountability Government communication through Internet use and access to information laws Greater Accessibility through the use of the Internet and ICT CSOs embracing the Internet and ICT to promote access and accountability

3. CSOs + ICT and the Information Circuit Meaningful government interaction with citizens involves:

4. Challenges to Embedding and Expanding the Internet in the Rule of Law • ICT/Internet Challenges: Bridging the ‘Digital Divide’ • CSO Challenges: equalizing access and resources • Government Challenges: Adopting and implementing meaningful access to information laws

5. Internet Challenges Bridging the ‘Digital Divide’ and Providing Equal Access to the Internet • Overall lack of access • Developing or upgrading infrastructure is cost prohibitive • Privatization increases access only insofar as users can afford it • Predominantly wired technologies have limited capacity to bridge the digital divide • Rural and remote areas remain largely unconnected

6. Internet Challenges Bridging the ‘Digital Divide and Providing Equal Access to the Internet • Limitations of existing Internet connections: • Fibre optic & undersea cables must be integrated into infrastructure to reach rural inland areas • High fixed costs for development of infrastructure passed to consumer

7. Internet Challenges Bridging the ‘Digital Divide and Providing Equal Access to the Internet • Socio-Economic barriers • Geographic limitations and urban-rural divide • Conflicting societal gender roles • Inequality in educational opportunities and societal class distinctions • Disparity of wealth

8. CSO Challenges Overcoming inequality amongst CSOs • Small indigenous / national CSOs • Play a critical role in assisting citizens with accessing and understanding information • Encourage accountability and facilitate communication between citizens and government compete with • Large CSOs in primarily urban areas • Well-established and staffed with foreign staff and local elites • Favored by international donors

9. Government Challenges Institutional Barriers to Accessibility and Transparency • Despite growth of Access to Information laws, best practices not always followed • Legal and political barriers constrain efforts to seek information • Exceptions in laws often prevent disclosure of information • International efforts are largely aspirational

10. Opportunities to Expanding the Role of the Internet in Promoting the Rule of Law • ICT / Internet Opportunities: • Increase use of existing effective projects • Expand new mobile technology • CSO Opportunities: • Strengthen local indigenous organizations • Government Challenges: • Meaningfully expand access to information laws • Limit use of exceptions and expand judicial enforcement

11. Internet Opportunities Building on existing and new technology • ICT / Internet Opportunities: • Increase use of existing effective projects • Telecenters targeted to provide service in poor dense urban areas and rural areas • Expand new mobile technology • Cost effective and widely adopted • Widely accessible • Suitable platform for Internet and e-governance initiatives

12. CSO Opportunities Empowering small rural and indigenous organizations • CSO Opportunities: • Strengthen local indigenous organizations • Expanded Internet opportunities will enable local CSOs to expand their reach • Local access for marginalized citizens to receive services from CSOs

13. Government Opportunities Promoting greater transparency in all development • Government Opportunities: • Meaningfully expand access to information laws • Limit the use of exceptions in existing laws • Expand judicial enforcement to provide meaningful opportunities to access information

14. Brian D. Anderson Reference Librarian & Assistant Professor Taggart Law Library Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law b-anderson.6@onu.edu Howard N. Fenton Director of the LL.M. Program in Democratic Governance and Rule of Law and Professor of Law Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law h-fenton@onu.edu Please contact us for questions, discussion, and collaboration!