Update on Liberia’s ICT Regulations and E-commerce Services at the Harmonization of ECOWAS Region Cyber Legislation, Accra March 2014 By Cllr. Roosevelt Gould and Zotawon Titus

Presentation Outline Regulatory Status of legal framework on: – e-Commerce regime – Cyber and – Data Protection Status of domesticating ECOWAS Framework into National Laws Other Developments Proposed Actions Challenges Next Steps in Going Digital

ICT Regulation on e-Commerce, cyber and data protection No Legal Framework Service ?

Harmonization of ECOWAS e-commerce, cyber security & Data Protection Acts with National Law Transposition finalized Text endorsed Submitted to the Legislature Committees on ICT and Telecommunication playing critical role Enactment into National Law Pending

Other Developments w/out Legal Framework E-commerce and e-transaction Mobile money transaction Use of ATM Platform (UBA, ECOBANK, others) Thumb Card Non-financial Services Business registration E-government services Data Issues SIM Card Registration and data security Data collected during provision of social services (NGO and data uses – the unethical side; Sensitive data – religious identity, political affiliation and others Potential to interfere with private life Cyber Terrain Internet and associated challenges – child pornography SIM box fraud Cyber theft – stealing financial info Identity theft – fraudster posing as a person he/she is not and benefitting from it

Proposed Actions Data Protection Agency Data protection law Consumer privacy concerns Protect weaker party Cyber Security Law Create a healthy cyber environment Provide disincentive for cyber criminality E-commerce Reduce overhead and marketing cost Create a digital economy Harmonize our digital economy with others

Challenges Enabling environment Encourage transnational cooperation Protection of end users rights Protection of critical infrastructure Others Need legal framework in place Human capacity to be informed Institutional capacity for enforcement Social inclusion Infrastructure capacity to provide platform Others Create competencies

Electronic Landscape Desired Legal Framework Legal Electronic Service with exit options Ideal Digital environment that facilitates convenience legally

Next Steps in Going Digital E-transaction Harmonize our laws with international and regional frameworks Apply lessons learned E-transaction, cyber access Facilitate users’ convenience by reducing the cost and time for accessing service Put encryption and other safeguards in place Cyber protection; Protect cyber space Endeavor to enforce the framework

The End thanks