Tech Companies Make Global Digital Recommendations

Tech companies and trade associations--more than 30 of them--have issued recommendations to the G20 governments as they meet to talk about digital tech and economic growth. 

The recommendations are focused on COVID-19 response, the free flow of data, universal broadband and more. 

"Together with industry, the G20 should continue to encourage the open markets and accelerated technology adoption that will drive groundbreaking innovations and creative solutions, including those that directly contribute to the economic and public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic," the groups said. 

One of the key recommendations is strengthening broadband infrastructure, one of the big takeaways from the stay-at-home pandemic, where work, healthcare and education have been conducted remotely. That includes both ensuring networks are resilient, as well as "the connectivity required to enable benefits of technology to reach all citizens..."  

Others include facilitating cross-border data flows and "maintain" strong privacy protections (some critics of Big Tech argue the verb should be "institute"). 

Signing on to the letter were: Information Technology Industry Council (ITI); ACT | The App Association; Asia Internet Coalition (AIC); Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA); Australian Services Roundtable (ASR); Brazilian Association of Information Technology and Communication Technology Companies (BRASSCOM); Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Coalition of Services Industries (CSI); Communications and Information Network Association of Japan (CIAJ); Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA); Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA); DIGITALEUROPE; Engine; European Data Centre Associations (EUDCA); Fiber Broadband Association; Fiber Optic Sensing Association; Information Technology and Communications Chamber of Argentina (CICOMRA); Internet Association (IA); Internet Infrastructure Coalition; Japan Business Council in Europe (JBCE); Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (JBMIA); Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA); Japan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA); Japan Machinery Center for Trade and Investment (JMC); Mexican Chamber of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies (CANIETI); National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC); TECHNATION; techUK; Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA); United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF); United States Chamber of Commerce; and United States Council for International Business (USCIB).

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.