Electronic democracy
Doc. 7455
11 January 1996
OPINION[1]
Rapporteur: Mr PROBST, Germany, Group of the European People's Party
The possibilities that are available today and will be available in the future as a result of modern communications technology constitute a great challenge of our time. Like any key technology of the past, the technologies generally known by the term "multimedia" will also give the economy a tremendous boost. The forecasts for the multimedia market in Europe point to an increase in turnover from DM2 billion today to about DM58 billion in the year 2000. This corresponds to an average annual growth rate of 76% (Hultzsch, Deutsche Telekom AG, Bonn, June 1995).
At the same time, a profound influence is being exerted on private and social behaviour, a fact we are already aware of everywhere today. Understandably, this is arousing not only great hopes but also fears. However, there is nothing new about this. In reality there is no justification either for all these hopes or fears. Although it remains necessary to take a dispassionate view, we are nevertheless confronted with a large number of questions for example:
1. Will we Europeans be participating in the new media market as suppliers or only as buyers? Three economic regions in the world are competing with one another: North America, Europe and South-East Asia. Competition is fierce, so what must we do to remain or become competitive? If we are not present on the market, we shall not be able to determine what it has to offer.
What does the new development mean for the employment market?
Shall we be able to make sufficient use of the opportunities to create new jobs?
2. Will there be new concentrations of power as a result of new market structures? If so, what can and must we do about this?
How can we guarantee transparency with regard to the suppliers of information?
3. How will political events be influenced?
- Will information be improved or is the citizen more likely to be confused by being offered too much?
- Is the fierce competition among suppliers more likely to lower standards as a result of the editing of information and of sensational reporting, or is it more likely to raise them by ensuring more conformity with reality?
- How can manipulation and, perhaps, disinformation be effectively combated?
- Will more plebiscitary elements be introduced into political decision-making through the conduct of rapide opinion polls? In what cases would this be a positive development? How would the responsibility for decisions be assumed? Decision-making and the assumption of responsibility go hand in hand.
- What role would elected parliamentarians still have? If anything, their position must be strengthened because only they can take and assume responsibility for complicated decisions with long-term effects.
4. What new legal issues will arise?
- Framework legislation for the new media: what issues must be regulated internationally? After all, the new information superhighways are making it possible to establish worldwide networks.
- Broadcasting legislation: in what areas is it affected? Is it possible to make a clear distinction between broadcasting and television and the other multimedia elements?
- Copyright: how is it affected, for example, by the multimedia services? Showed new aspects be included?
- Labour law: in what legal framework will teleworking develop?
- Data protection and data security: who is responsible? What minimum technical standards are necessary?
5. How can or should general and vocational education curricula be designed to include multimedia theory and applications?
6. Will society become even more oriented towards individualism as a result of an increase in personal opportunities? What can be done about this if necessary?
A public-spirited attitude and a sense of solidarity are indispensable for living in a community. Are there genuine reasons for people's fears in this area?
7. Many different influences will be exerted on the cultural traditions of our society. They must be thoroughly analysed by the relevant human sciences.
The questions raised up to now are only examples and are by no means exhaustive.
The Masseret Report deals with some of these questions. In particular, it goes into the apprehended dangers and provides many different analyses. It is a very commendable piece of work.
However, there are a number of problems:
1. The title of the report (Doc. 7359) is "Report on electronic democracy". However, its contents are concerned with information superhighways. What are we to debate in January 1996? It was planned to deal with the subject of "electronic democracy".
2. The Masseret Report hardly deals with the actual subject under consideration, namely "electronic democracy". However, this subject is of genuine interest to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and it directly affects the work of the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations.
The main problem is the increase in elements of direct democracy (as a result of better communications) compared with representative democracy. Unfortunately, the draft resolution contains only one sub-paragraph on this subject (4 iv.). This is much too little, for there are many questions linked to it.
3. The report focuses too much on "risks and dangers" and demands as a result that European states establish a comprehensive framework of regulations. It is doubtless necessary to produce a framework of laws and regulations that is as unified as possible, but for this to be done it has to be sufficiently clear what problems need regulating. Are we so sure that we already know what the real dangers are? This question must be approached with caution.
The subject of multimedia touches on many economic, scientific, political, legal and cultural issues. Care must be taken to try to place the right emphasis on each of these aspects.
As the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, the Committee on Culture and Education, the Steering Committee on the Mass Media and the Council for Cultural Co-operation are already conducting an in-depth examination of the entire question of multimedia, only the individual issue of "electronic democracy" should be examined more thoroughly. I therefore propose that the Masseret Report (Doc. 7359) be referred back to the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations with a request to prepare an appropriate text.
Reporting committee: Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations.
Committee for opinion: Committee on Culture and Education.
Budgetary implications for the Assembly: none
Reference to committee: Doc. 7288 and Reference No. 2010 on 22 May 1995.
Opinion approved by the committee on 21 December 1995.
Secretaries to the Committee: MM. Grayson, Ary and Gruden.
[1]. by the Committee on Culture and Education