What Is ICT Policy?
Information and Communications Technology (ICT): "The means of generating, processing, transporting and presenting information" (OECD).
The Oxford English Dictionary defines policy as "A course of action, adopted and pursued by a government, party, ruler, statesman, etc.; any course of action adopted as advantageous or expedient." While this definition suggests that policy is the realm of those in power - governments or official institutions - a wider sense could include the vision, goals, principles and plans that guide the activities of many different actors.
Civil Society Involvement
Why should we, as citizens, become involved in ICT policy-making? The obvious answer is that, as shown above, ICTs are so central to contemporary society that they affect us continually in many ways. So, for example, if a government decides to promote free software, we are more likely to enjoy the benefits of free software (better security, lower cost, easy adaptation to local conditions and needs, etc).
