Digital policies in Latin America in time of pandemics

BERNADETTE CALIFANO; MARTÍN BECERRA

Simposio; 2021 GigaNet Annual Symposium; 2021

Global Internet Governance Academic Network

The aim of this study is to analyze the digital policies introduced in different Latin American countries during the first three months after the outbreak of COVID-19 (March-June 2020). The analysis has a three-fold objective: a) to give an overview of the status of connectivity in five Latin American countries ?Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico; b) to study comparatively the actions and regulations implemented on connectivity matters by the governments of each country to face the pandemic; and c) to provide insights in relation with digital policies in the context of pandemic emergence at a regional level. The research proposes a comparative qualitative study. The mentioned countries have been chosen for two main reasons: they are the biggest in the region terms of population, economies and per capita gross product (ECLAC, 2019), and they have exhibited responses to all the variables selected for the analysis. After a preliminary inquiry about the main policy initiatives taken in each country, we determined that it was possible to make a comparative study around four variables: a) access and continuity of connectivity services; b) traffic, data consumption and content; c) infrastructure, network management and radio spectrum; and d) compensations for telecommunications companies. The study draws on an analysis of the set of regulations and specific policy-making actions introduced in the field of connectivity in the countries under review, as well as official documents prepared by the public sector, particularly by the telecommunications ministries and regulatory bodies in each country. It also draws on documents from the private sector, and statistics on ICT access and usage in the region.