Addressing the global digital divide

By Glenn Wanamaker

TUNIS, Tunisia - After three days of intense negotiations, the World Summit on the Information Society wrapped up November 16th in Tunis, Tunisia with a pledge to bridge the digital divide and a compromise agreement to keep discussing the politically-charged issue of Internet control. Delegates from 174 states supported proposals creating a new Internet Governance Forum and a Digital Solidarity Fund, and maintained support for a series of small projects to bring information communication technologies to the developing world. While officially hailed as a success, this follow-up Summit to the 2003 gathering in Geneva is nonetheless considered a timid step...