• Think Tanks & Research Institutions
• International Telecom Policy
• International Organizations & Projects
• Tools

Think Tanks & Research Institutions

Berkman Center for Internet & Society Housed at Harvard Law School, this research program explores issues in cyberspace and aims to further the development of technology in society through studies and projects on current and relevant topics.

Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development Private-public partnerships and interdisciplinary research on technology and related issues, based at MIT.

Columbia Institute for Tele-Information Based at Columbia Business School, CITI focuses on management, strategy and policy issues in the fields of telecommunications, IT and electronic mass media. Includes a searchable archive for papers and articles available for purchase.

Economics of Networks Created by NYU-Stern professor Nicholas Economides, this site is a comprehensive source for articles on the economic consequences of contemporary ICT issues.

MIT Media Lab Formed at MIT in 1980, Media Laboratory research focuses on diverse areas of technology, their innovation and intersection, and how they are guided by human and social activities.

UCLA Online Institute for Cyberspace Law and Policy  Archived. Comprehensive information on law-related issues that have arisen as a result of the online world. This site include cases, statutes, academic articles and topical highlights (including information on e-commerce, freedom of expression, intellectual property, privacy and encryption, jurisdiction and trans-border issues, safety and equity in cyberspace) up until January 2003. There is also a list of links to other facilities engaged in cyberspace law and policy. 

International Organizations & Projects

Digital Dividend A project of the World Resources Institute, Digital Dividend seeks to promote sustainable solutions for bridging the digital divide in its support of ICT project throughout the developing world. Provides case studies, articles, a newsletter and links to funding opportunities and ICT-for-development toolkits.

International Telecommunications Society (ITS) An independent, non-aligned nonprofit consortium of academic, governmental and private sector actors in the fields of technology. Through newsletters and internationally-held conferences, ITS focuses on the emergence of a "global information society" and considers its socioeconomic, regulatory and ethical implications.

Telecommunications Industry Organization (TIA) An international trade association, this site provides information on industry standards, marketplace development, ICT and trade policy/advocacy issues, and expositions.

World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Consortium of over 50 IT associations from around the globe. Private sector IT leaders work together as advocacy groups on public policy issues dealing with IT regulation, intellectual property and the digital divide.

International Telecom Policy

Balancing Act A pan-Africa website focusing on emerging new media technologies and their relationship to entrepreneurial efforts and government policy across the continent. The weekly electronic newsletters go out to private and government sector, NGO and education subscribers worldwide.

E-Europe The website of the Information Society of the European Community.  The site provides thematic information in policy, programs and initiatives, and links.

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Is responsible for overseeing the Domain Name System (DNS) and for managing the distribution of unique IP addresses and domain names.

International Telecommunication Union  Headquartered in Geneva, the ITU works with governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom networks and services. The site contains access to selected publication and fully searchable databases, including free statistics on telecom users worldwide.

• World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Coordinated by both the ITU and the UN ICT Task Force, the first phase in Geneva focuses on broad themes concerning the Information Society and adopted a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action. The second phase takes place in Tunis.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration  Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NTIA deals with domestic and international telecommunications and information technology issues. NTIA works to spur innovation, encourage competition, help create jobs and provide consumers with more choices and better quality telecommunications products and services at lower prices. 

Telecommunications Policy Multidisciplinary, international journal (accessible via Ginn Library's electronic journals link).

Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC) An independent non-profit, the TPRC has hosted an annual forum for scholars and for public- and private-sector decision makers engaged in telecommunications and information work for over 30 years.

UN Information and Communication Technologies Task Force Launched under the UN Economic and Social Council in 2001, the UN ICT Task Force is considered the focal point for ensuring policy coherence and coordination, aiming to advance the broad development goals of the Millennium Declaration using ICT as a tool for human development. With the ITU, helped launch the WSIS summit. (see above)

Tools

Internet Traffic Report Monitors the flow of data around the world (in all continents but Africa and Antarctica), updated every five minutes.

Telecoms Virtual Library  A comprehensive, searchable guide to telecommunications worldwide, by subject.

WhatIs.com Definitions for most computing and ICT terms, plus references to current topics and information on upcoming tech-related events.