MAJOR STAGES OF THE EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL INFORMATION SOCIETY

Abstract

Abstract. The article provides the historical overview of the main stages of the formation of
international and legal regulation of global information society development. Particular attention
is given to various international and legal initiatives, which were unified by the general
idea of the formation of a new type society that should have replaced the industrial society. The
author presents the comparative analysis of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
and the New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO).
The conducted analysis shows that both NWICO and WSIS deal with the same issues regarding
unbalanced and disproportional evolution of developed and developing countries. Nevertheless,
they use different terminological tools. While NWICO advocates supported the
reduction of communication divide, the WSIS participants called upon the open inclusive information
society.
It is important for the international and legal framework for the development of global information
society not to add up exclusively to soft law rules, but also to include legally binding
provisions that would raise the level of consciousness and responsibility of all interested subjects
of international law, as well as guarantee the execution thereof.
Key words: global information society, New World Information and Communication Order,
World Summit on the Information Society, UNESCO, McBride Report.