Assessing Internet Development In Brazil

Note: This is an assessment of 109 core indicators and 21 contextual indicators instead of the full set of 303 indicators, and it is therefore not intended to cover all dimensions of the digital ecosystem in the country, but serves to take stock of significant progress and signal those gaps in a need to be improved in adhering to ROAM framework. As the Internet environment is changing very fast, so are the data collected and analysis and recommendations made upon. UNESCO encourages countries to continue the dialogues about the findings, and to update the assessment after due time while also keeping track of the latest developments to monitor and adapt and sometimes strengthen the recommendations to further enhance their impact, as appropriate.

How was the Internet born in Brazil? Who were its pioneers? How did they interact with the Internets fathers in the United States and Europe? What strategies guided the development of Brazils Internet? How has it developed in terms of coverage, usage, speed, pricing, and quality of service? What needs to be done to better realize its potential for accelerating economic, social and political development? What is the Brazilian model of Internet governance and how is it evolving? These are the major questions addressed in this book. The author has been an observer and participant in the development and use of the Internet in Africa, Asia, Russia and the United States, but above all in Brazil. He has interacted with many Internet pioneers around the world who have inspired his work. This book, completed immediately after the Global Stakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance (NETmundial) in So Paulo, seeks to provide background that will be useful to participants in that important gathering and to Internet enthusiasts in Brazil and around the world.

Even though knowledge about the impact of the pandemic on mental health is still very limited in all countries and is largely based on experiences only partially comparable to the current epidemic, such as those of the SARS or Ebola epidemics, it is likely that the need for intervention will increase significantly in the coming months and years. Scientific research in neuroscience is a growing field. It offers a novel perspective on the relationship between mind and brain and provides novel scenarios for understanding the long wave of the current pandemic. Furthermore, the pandemic has also led to the possibility of implementing remote monitoring and management interventions. This volume uses multidisciplinary approaches to physiological and cognitive mechanisms, medical treatment, psychosocial interventions, and self-management to help illustrate the complex association among the COVID-19 pandemic, neurological manifestations, mental health, and society.

The Internet has been a reality in Brazil for more than 20 years. Its growth has been encouraged by the government, by large telecom companies, and by small and medium Internet service providers, as well as by rapidly increasing demand. The achievements to date are clear, but almost half the population is still not participating in the digital world. Furthermore, the cost of broadband is still high and its quality should be improved so that it will be possible to take advantage of all the benefits it can bring, whether related to health, education, or even the exercise of political rights. It is necessary, therefore that the Brazilian Internet be fast, reliable, and accessible. This book brings together 23 specialists in various areas related to broadband, specialists who wanted to discuss Brazil’s public policies and regulations as well as the progress and challenges related to expanding access to broadband Internet service. The 16 chapters also address the evolution of the country’s broadband infrastructure, including experiences of entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships. This debate is fundamental for Brazil’s technological, economic and social progress.

The volume brings together scholars from across the Americas to address the complex evolution of political and policy media spaces as they are studied from a range of perspectives.