Session
Internet Society of China
Rui ZHONG, Internet Society of China, Civil Society, Asia Pacific Region
CNNIC
Xiao ZHANG, CNNIC, Technical Community, Asia Pacific Region
Mr. Chengqing HUANG, VP of the Internet Society of China, Diretor General of China IGF, Asia Pacific Region
Ms. Xiao ZHANG, Deputy Director of CNNIC, Asia Pacific Region
Ms. Haiyan GU, GM, Law Affairs, Sina Group, Asia Pacific Region
Rui ZHONG, Internet Society of China
Ping WU, Internet Society of China
Rui ZHONG, Internet Society of China
Targets: To empower the disadvantaged groups through new Internet and digital technology is a very important approach to realize the goal of improving their economic and social benefits.
Presentation + Q&A Interaciton
According to the UN World Population Prospects 2022, the population above age 65 years is growing more rapidly than the population below that age. The share of global population at ages 65 and above is projected to rise from 10 per cent in 2022 to 16 per cent in 2050. Meanwhile, an estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities. One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every ten children is a child with a disability. The commitment to realizing the rights both online and offline of the vulnerable groups is not only a matter of justice, it is an investment in a common future. It is central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind in this digital era. As the rising of emerging Internet digital technology, people could enjoy the convenience brought by new intelligent services in travel, consumption, medical treatment, handling of affairs, and other aspects of daily life. But sometimes certain groups will feel difficult to keep pace with the new development of technology. Examples as the ageing groups are no familiar with the operation of smart devices, the visual vulnerability groups are hard to operate on the APP or enjoy some interaction services. New technology shall be the leverage to a more inclusive social environment other than to create new digital divides. In this regards, the session is expected to bring together speakers from multi-stakeholders to share how to promote the comprehensive development of inclusive digital environments, by taking the advantage of emerging tech and solutions, and avoiding the new gaps coursed by new tech.
The session is open for online and onsite with hybrid format that online and onsite moderators will be in charge of facilitate the interaction with the participants. The moderators will invite participants to raise questions for the speakers afther the presentation. We will request more time to be left for the interaction to ensure a smooth communication between two sides. To attract more participants, we will post session info on our social network platform and will put post-stand up at the IGF Booth, if successfully applied.
Report
New emerging tech shall be a tool of empowering rather than deepening the digital divide. It is very important to hold the concept of People Oriented as from very beginning of developing work, especial for the Internet developers or service providers.
Private sector is the important driving force of tech innovation that it is requested to fullfil its social responsibility to jointly facilitate an inclusive digital future.
Co-hosted by the Internet Society of China (ISC) and China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), organized by China IGF, the session “Emerging Tech and Solutions for Digital Inclusion” mainly discussed how to promote the comprehensive development of inclusive digital environments, by taking the advantage of emerging tech and solutions, and avoiding the new gaps coursed by new tech.
Mr. Huang Chengqing, Director of China IGF and Vice President of ISC, Ms. Zhang Xiao, Executive Deputy Director of China IGF and Deputy Director of CNNIC and Ms. Gu Haiyan, General Manager of Law Affairs of Sina Group, were invited to share their insights and observations on how to narrowing the ageing group-related digital divide and tackle with the challenges faced.
Mr. Huang Chengqing shared the efforts of China’s Internet application aging and information accessibility transformation, including measures in various aspects such as the top-level design of the system, standard formulation, technological innovation, and public welfare actions to actively promote the construction of an inclusive digital society benefiting everyone.
Ms. Zhang Xiao stressed how to narrow the digital divide and improve digital inclusion from the perspective of strengthening network connectivity, deepening digital infrastructure construction in rural areas, fostering digital literacy as well as improving network service innovation and quality.
Ms. Gu Haiyan introduced the work and practice of Sina Weibo in developing aging-friendly version of applications, providing voice assistance systems, optimizing visual design, and strengthening privacy protection. She also proposed that digital empowerment is an important foundation to help vulnerable groups enjoy inclusive and sustainable development of the digital economy.
The three speakers agreed that new technology shall be the leverage to a more inclusive social environment rather than to create new digital divides. It is of great significance to create a barrier-free/information accessibility environment, which needs joint efforts from all stakeholders, such as the policy support from the government sectors and technical innovation from private sectors. The key challenge is how to find the balance between business interests and social responsibility so as to motivate the private sectors to innovate and update the services to meet the need of information accessibility, as their major role to lead and promote the technology innovation.
The moderator also introduced some best practices carried out in China and call on multi-stakeholders to strengthen digital cooperation, narrow the digital divide, and promote the inclusive and sustainable development of the Internet.