Policy Observatory

A group of U.S. and EU digital rights organizations and consumer NGOs have issued a statement calling for a “meaningful legal framework” to protect fundamental privacy rights in the digital era.

The statement comes as a critical response to the publication earlier this month of the Bridges report: a joint project between U.S. and EU academics — and including the involvement of the Dutch data protection agency — advocating for continued reliance on existing laws coupled with industry self-regulation as a middle-of-the-road approach to safeguarding privacy rights.

The purpose of this publication is to provide up-to-date information on the legal framework of the countries in Latin America as follow-up to the studies in prospects for harmonising cyberlegislation in the region that were published in 2009 and 2010. The study reports progress made by the countries in regard to electronic transactions/electronic signatures, online protection of consumers, protection of personal data, industrial and intellectual property, domain names, cybercrime and security of information, and pending legislation and challenge.

The situation in 20 countries of the region is reviewed, and information is provided on the commitments and responsibilities assumed by the individual countries in regard to cyberlegislation, bearing in mind the regional context, so as to identify the collaborating agencies and the implications, limitations and challenges involved. Reference is made to the many agenices in the region that have generated a wide range of legal instruments and public policies and the need for coordination with the governments of the countries so as to promote progress in this regard.

This study can be useful to government personell involved in designing and implementing legislation that will foster development.