Appendix II:

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) directly relates to big tech companies due to their significant collection and processing of personal data. Big tech companies often gather vast amounts of user data for various purposes, including targeted advertising, product development, and analytics. However, this extensive data collection has raised concerns about privacy, data security, and the potential for misuse or abuse of personal information.

GDPR addresses these concerns by imposing strict requirements on how organizations handle personal data, including obtaining explicit consent from individuals before collecting their data, providing transparent information about data processing activities, and implementing robust security measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Specific protocols within GDPR aim to alleviate the issues brought on by big tech companies' data practices. For example:

Consent Requirements: GDPR mandates that companies obtain clear and affirmative consent from individuals before collecting or processing their personal data. This requirement ensures that users have more control over how their data is used and can make informed decisions about sharing their information with big tech platforms.

Right to Access and Portability: GDPR grants individuals the right to access their personal data held by organizations and request its transfer to another service provider. This provision enables users to switch between big tech platforms more easily and fosters competition by reducing barriers to entry for new players in the market.

Data Minimization and Purpose Limitation: GDPR requires organizations to limit the collection and processing of personal data to what is necessary for specific purposes. This principle discourages big tech companies from indiscriminately collecting excessive amounts of user data and encourages them to be more transparent about their data practices.

Accountability and Penalties: GDPR imposes strict accountability measures on organizations, requiring them to demonstrate compliance with the regulation and take responsibility for the security and integrity of personal data. Non-compliance can result in significant fines, incentivizing big tech companies to prioritize data protection and privacy.

Big Tech companies have had a significant influence on democratic processes in various ways:

Information Flow and Disinformation: Big Tech platforms serve as primary sources of information for many individuals, shaping public opinion and influencing voter behavior. However, these platforms have also been implicated in the spread of misinformation, fake news, and propaganda, which can distort public discourse and undermine the democratic process by influencing elections and policy decisions. ( see appendix no. 6,7)

Algorithmic Bias and Filter Bubbles: Big Tech algorithms determine the content users see on their platforms, often leading to the creation of filter bubbles where individuals are only exposed to information that aligns with their existing beliefs and preferences. This can exacerbate polarization and echo chambers, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives and hindering constructive dialogue essential for democratic decision-making. (see reference no. 7)

Political Advertising and Microtargeting: Big Tech companies offer sophisticated advertising tools that enable political campaigns to target specific demographics with tailored messages. While microtargeting can be a powerful tool for engaging voters, it also raises concerns about the manipulation of public opinion and the spread of divisive or misleading content, especially when coupled with limited transparency and oversight.  (see reference no. 9,10,11)

Data Privacy and Surveillance: Big Tech platforms collect vast amounts of user data, which can be exploited for political purposes, such as voter profiling, persuasion, and targeting. The misuse of personal data by political actors or third-party entities raises serious privacy concerns and undermines individuals' autonomy and agency in democratic processes. (see appendix no.12,13,14)

Regulatory Capture and Lobbying: Big Tech companies wield significant financial resources and political influence, allowing them to shape regulatory policies and legislative agendas in their favor. This influence can lead to regulatory capture, where government agencies tasked with overseeing Big Tech become overly sympathetic to industry interests, potentially undermining efforts to address issues like antitrust violations, privacy breaches, and misinformation. (see referenceno.15,16,17)

The UNESCO OER Dynamic Coalition recently organized a webinar emphasizing the effectiveness of open licenses in fostering inclusive knowledge societies. "Open solutions" are digital public goods available under open licenses, allowing for content reuse, repurposing, adaptation, and redistribution while respecting intellectual property rights. Here's a summary of the key points discussed:

IFLA's Three-Pronged Approach: The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) stressed the importance of open solutions in providing access to information and education. They highlighted the transition of libraries from gatekeepers to facilitators of knowledge access, emphasizing platforms for knowledge curation, equity, ethics, and collaboration with policymakers.

Maximizing Access through Openness and Transparency: Advocates like Alex Gakuru emphasized the necessity for the Global South to produce open educational content, addressing challenges such as copyright awareness, capacity building, and policy support. Initiatives like the "oerisation" process in Kenya showcased the positive impact of capacity development in promoting universal education access.

WIPO's Advocacy for Open Access and Creative Commons Licenses: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) highlighted the benefits of Open Access and Creative Commons licenses in enhancing knowledge access. Initiatives like the WIPO Research4Life Project exemplify their commitment to openness and collaboration in research and innovation.

Policy Frameworks for Openness: Dr. Ard Prasad emphasized the integration of openness into policy frameworks, citing the existence of numerous Open Access Policies globally. The Global Open Access Portal (GOAP) provides an inventory of these policies and offers templates and checklists for model policies related to openness.

Importance of Open Access in Democratizing Science: Arianna Becerril Garcia stressed the significance of open access in democratizing scientific information. She advocated for academic ownership of scholarly communication processes, South-South collaboration, and adopting non-commercial workflows in journal production.

Open Solutions: A lever to achieve access to information and knowledge | UNESCO