Page 109 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

ITU Academy Training Centers Selected to Enhance Digital Skills Development

The International Telecommunication and development are a cornerstone of will support ITU's development priorities
Union (ITU) has selected organizations from stronger, more sustainable economies," by strengthening capacity building
around the world to join its new flagship ITU said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary- and boosting technical ICT skills and
Academy Training Centers (ATC) program. General. “The organizations participating in proficiency, particularly in developing
The ATC program aims to deliver high- the ITU Academy Training Centers program countries. Through the ATC program,
quality information and communication have demonstrated their commitment to training will be provided to intermediate-
technology (ICT) training to develop both high-quality capacity development for all. and senior-level personnel with courses
institutional and individual capacity in ITU's Together, we are nurturing well-equipped tailored to the most pressing needs of
diverse membership and, in turn, across digital professionals in developing ITU's membership, including on policy
the global ICT and telecommunications countries and strengthening the ability of and regulation, network infrastructure,
industry. The ATCs will become operational all countries to achieve the UN Sustainable spectrum management, cybersecurity,
in the second half of 2023. “Digital skills Development Goals." The selected Centers digital inclusion, and digital services. The
courses will be conducted online through
ITU's e-learning platform, the ITU Academy.
Hybrid and face-to-face courses will also
be possible. Registration will be available
online through the ITU Academy platform.
“As we continue to support our Member
States' digital transformation goals, the
need to constantly upgrade digital skills
and qualifications of all stakeholders must
not be overlooked," said Cosmas Zavazava,
Director of ITU's Telecommunication
Development Bureau (BDT). “Building
on BDT's vast experience in capacity
development, the training delivered by the
selected ATCs will help our members keep
pace with emerging demands and new
regional priorities."

Telcos’ Joint Advertising Venture Against Big Tech Gets EU Go-Ahead

The telecoms providers said the upcoming company, which will be based in Belgium said. The commission conducted an
platform is designed to give customers and run by independent management. investigation and said the joint venture
control over their data which is currently The platform is based on a project first will raise “no competition concerns” in
collected by ‘major, non-European players’. launched by Vodafone to create a digital the EEA. The European Commission
The European Commission has approved advertising service for Europe. The noted that there would still be alternative
a joint venture to create a new digital platform creates a digital token for the user, options available and that the joint venture
advertising platform and challenge current which lets brands and publishers recognize will not restrict rival providers of digital
Big Tech dominance. The new venture is users on websites in a near-anonymous identification services. The investigation
being organized by Deutsche Telekom, state. The companies believe this will also found that the joint venture would not
Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone, which allow advertisers to group users and tailor increase the risk of coordination between
claim to be working on a “privacy-by-design” content to them, while retaining privacy the four companies. Certain Big Tech
platform that requires opt-in consent by the control for the user. The move appears to companies have been accused of anti-
consumer to activate brand advertising. be aimed at the current control Big Tech competitive practices in the adtech sector.
The joint venture is set to launch in several companies have over the digital advertising For example, the US government recently
EU countries following a successful trial market, based on a statement released accused Google of monopolizing key digital
in Germany, with further trials planned to by Orange. “The platform is specifically advertising technologies and engaging in
develop the platform. The platform will designed to offer consumers a step change various anti-competitive practices such as
first launch in Germany, Italy, Spain and the in the control, transparency and protection eliminating competition, forcing publishers
UK according to the commission. Orange of their data, which is currently collected, and advertisers to use its products, and
said the four telecoms providers will have distributed and stored at scale by major, thwarting the ability to use competing
an equal stake in the new joint venture non-European players,” the statement products.

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