Evidence-based approaches in digital policy, regulation and governance

01.09.2025

Introduction to evidence-based decision making As the digital economy expands rapidly in many parts of the world, policymakers and regulators face ongoing challenges in keeping pace with innovative technologies and services that impact ICT markets. The governance of the digital ecosystem represents one of the most complex and dynamic challenges facing policymakers. The rapid pace of technological innovation, the global scale of digital platforms, and the profound societal impact of new technologies demand a regulatory approach that is both robust and adaptive. To address these challenges, many countries are assessing their current regulatory principles and practices to align them with…

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Guide to Meaningful Public Consultations: Collaborative Regulation from Foundations to Sustainable Practices

29.08.2025

About this Guide This Guide was jointly developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Ofcom, the UK’s independent communications regulator. The Guide is a new tool in the portfolio of tools for national regulators and regulatory associations to support evidence-based decision-making. It provides practical guidance and a blueprint for effectively engaging and conducting regulatory consultations with stakeholders from government, private sector, and civil society and enhancing the outcomes of stakeholder involvement in policy and decision-making processes. Using a blended approach, the guide draws from insights from 13 interviews with regulators across all regions, various resources on good regulatory practices…

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Deep Dive: Common elements of collaboration agreements between agencies

25.08.2025

An inter-agency collaboration agreement is a written agreement between two or more parties, outlining the terms of collaboration or cooperation to reach one or more common objectives. Such agreements, frequently drafted as an MOU or a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), establish a legal basis for collaboration and outline participants’ roles and functions; responsibilities; allocation of funds; and short-, medium- and long-term goals. Typical provisions might also include processes for inter-agency information-sharing, investigations, enforcement, training, and external outreach (DHS 2006). MOUs or MOAs used by ICT regulators can include the following components: an introduction to the specific policy problem addressed by…

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Deep Dive: Industry codes of practice

25.08.2025

Intended as a complement to rules-based regulatory models, industry codes of practice can help establish clear regulatory goals and best practices. According to the Kenya Communications Authority‘s (CA) approach to developing codes of practice, the mechanism is defined as “a set of professional standards or written guidelines agreed on by members of a particular profession, or written guidelines issued by an official body or a professional association to its member, to help them comply with its ethical standards” (ITU 2023). The Kenya Communications Authority’s approach to developing codes of practice Source: ITU, Collaborative regulation for digital transformation in Kenya: A…

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