[Singapore]– A region-wide survey of 1,800 Internet Society members in Asia-Pacific revealed stakeholder attitudes towards Internet policymaking and policy issues in the region. Conducted by the Internet Society’s Asia-Pacific Bureau, the Asia-Pacific Regional Policy Survey solicited user perceptions on a wide range of Internet policy themes, from privacy to Net neutrality to the availability of local content.
The study found that despite the rapid growth of Internet uptake in the region, Internet users in Asia-Pacific continue to be primarily concerned with local policies on access, specifically those that would address the lack of Internet connectivity in remote and rural areas, as well as the high costs of broadband subscription relative to per capita income.
“One-third of the population in the region is expected to be online by the end of 2014—this still leaves two-thirds, or some 2.8 billion people, offline,” said Rajnesh Singh, Regional Director for Asia-Pacific at the Internet Society. “We are committed to facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue to ensure that everyone benefits from the Internet, and the findings of this survey give us valuable stakeholder input as policymakers put these issues on the table.”
Asia-Pacific now hosts 47%, or 1.26 billion, of the world’s online population, but Internet connectivity in the region continues to be highly variable: it is home to some of the most connected countries worldwide, but also to some of the least connected ones, with Internet penetration in Myanmar and Timor Leste hovering just above 1%. According to the latest International Telecommunications Union Measuring the Information Society report, Asia-Pacific also has some of the fastest and slowest average connection speeds, and the most affordable and unaffordable broadband costs globally.
“There are a number of factors that constrain the expansion of Internet connectivity in the region, and policy has an important role to play in creating an enabling environment for equitable and affordable Internet access,” added Mr Singh.
Download the full Asia-Pacific Regional Survey report.
About the Internet Society
The Internet Society (www.internetsociety.org) is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With its principled vision, substantial technological foundation, and its global presence, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.
Media contact: Phillip Raskin, [email protected]