IGF 2019 WS #171
Data flows and global trade: Issues of inclusive development

Description: "Data flows and global trade regimes: Issues of inclusive development"
At the centre of global digital trade regimes is the issue of cross-border data flows, as again asserted recently by the protagonists of the WTO pluri-lateral on e-commerce.

One one hand it is claimed that free data flows globally are a must for development of global digital services, including AI, which will bring a fundamental positive transformation in all sectors of the economy and the society. Such a digital revolution, the claim goes, will raise all boats and therefore all must cooperate towards free and easy global flows of data.

On the other hand, those who resist unregulated free global flow of data make the point that it is only resulting in near absolute concentration of data and digital power with a few digital corporations, in the US, and now some from China. They consider such free data flows as an unfair and uncompensated extraction of the important local and national resource of data by these few global corporations. It could mean poor or no digital or data industry in other parts of the world, making the world even more uneven in terms of economic development. Free global flows of data may also mean that data escapes due regulation, which is anchored at national levels. This is very problematic from the public interest point of view as data is increasingly underpinning almost all key economic and social activities.

This workshop will discuss what free data flows, or alternatively, data flow regulation regimes, are meant to achieve, and how these work. The discussion will be placed in the context of the very hot and vibrant global digital trade policy discussions. Do different kinds of data require different cross-border flow regimes? How can the legal and regulatory remit of any country be ensured to apply to data of its citizens, artefacts and natural resources, when it flows across the border? Such legal and regulatory issues may concern not just privacy and security but also important issues of economic rights and development. The various current debates on these issues will be presented, and critically analysed from the viewpoint of inclusive and equitable development, across social groups and across nations and regions.

The key question would be, what kind of global data flow and/or localisation regimes suit best an inclusive development agenda, taking from traditional economic and social development values, concepts and practices.

The format will be that of a Roundtable, with the listed speakers as subject matter experts. The moderator will direct the speakers to introduce the topic through their expertise, after which she will open the discussion up for everyone at the table. Subject matter experts will pitch in when necessary.

Experts will speak for 5 minutes each on:
1) Data as an economic resource and values/imperatives apart from privacy and data protection
2) The relationship between global trade in data and inclusive development
3) Global trade models that would be beneficial for developing countries
4) The specific data flow/localization regimes and their appropriateness for different kinds of data

The inclusion of experts along with the openness of the discussion will allow this polarized debate to find commonality grounded in developing country experience.


Expected Outcomes: We expect the workshop to have the following outcomes.
1. The participants are exposed to the state of the art vis a vis global level data governance issues as they are being taken up in global trade rules discussions and negotiations.
2. We are able to move to more viable and practical positions, especially from a developing country view point, from the currently highly polarized debate on global data flows.
3. The IGF community is able to contribute to sophisticated, cutting edge debate on global digital trade.