Reserve a copy now: Internet User's Guide to E-Commerce Policies

I've been talking about updating my 2004 E-Commerce Workshop Book for quite sometime now. However, whenever I attempt to get on to it, the content growth is just overwhelming. It made me worried that it may take longer than expected.

As a result, we are coming up with an E-Commerce for Entrepreneurs series and this is the first book that shall come out of it.

Target release date is November 2009. (Supposedly February 2009 but decided to make it coincide with the E-Commerce Summit & DigitalFilipino Web Awards 2009.)

Each chapter will have a mind map and a guide per page explaining the details of the policy.

The outline of the "Internet User's Guide to E-Commerce Policies" shall be as follows:

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Becoming an I.T. Policy Advocate & Lobbyist
• The E-Commerce Law
• Chapter 3: E-Commerce Law
• Chapter 4: E-Commerce Law IRR
• Chapter 5: Rules on Electronic Evidence
  
• SME Policies
• Chapter 6: Financing for Information Technology Build-Up (SME-FIT)
• Chapter 7: Government Procurement Policy Board Resolution No. 07-2006
  
• Consumer Protection
• Chapter 8: Data Log Retention of Telecommunications Traffic (NTC)
• Chapter 9: DTI Administrative Order #8: Prescribing Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Data in Information and Communication Systems in the Private Sector
• Chapter 10: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Circular No. 542: Consumer Protection for Electronic Banking
• Chapter 11: Consumer Protection Guidelines (NTC)
• Chapter 12: Advertising Standards Code
• Chapter 13: Internet and Mobile Advertising Code of Ethics
  
• E-Government
• Chapter 14: DTI-DOF Joint Administrative Order #2: Guidelines Implementing R.A. 8792 on Electronic Payment and Collection System (EPCS) in Government
  
• Chapter 15: Copyright
• Chapter 16: Cybercrime
• Chapter 17: E-Commerce Policy Implementation Challenges
• Chapter 18: Moving Forward

All DigitalFilipino.com Club members are entitled to a free copy of the book. SME members will get 2 copies while Corporate members shall get 3 copies. Individual members will get 1 copy.

More info:

• Mind map of the book
• Author profile.
• Recognition received for policy and legal contributions.
• Motivation behind the book project.

The following are entitled to get a free copy upon release of the book

• Iggy
• Christa Uymatiao
• Jonel Uy
• Arlene Nietes Satapornvanit
• Arbee
• Fitz Villafuerte
• Gladys Barrer
• Cesar Noel
• Paul Villacorta
• Geoffrey Chua
• Noel Feria
• Meikah Delid
• Robstroy
• Pvegetah

Make e-champions out of your legislators

The third lesson in cyberlegislation that I shared was to make e-champions out of your legislators. This requires a lot of trust and hardword to make it work.

When lobbying for the E-Commerce Law, I remember that a lot of us in the industry were so focused on talking to an IT-savvy legislator. Later on, we realized that he is not chairman of the committee that has the power to calendar and prioritize the tackling of our proposed bill. As a result, a change of strategy was made. This includes:

• Approach all legislators, through their staff and committee persons (if they are chairman), and discuss the significance of their filed legislation.
• Offer to do briefings for them and their staff to get at the knowledge level they desired. This includes going to their office at their free time just to talk to them.
• Get them invited in various IT and business events to talk about our desired legislation. Make them realize that this it is indeed important, that there's clamor for it, and their role importance as well. It is like saying, "We need a champion and we hope that you could take that role."
  
• Do exhibits/forums under their committee in Congress or Senate just to get the support of fellow legislators.
• Give them monthly or quarterly quick briefing on what is happening to nearby countries, comparable to our home country, just to show how we compare or being put to a disadvantage, for not having the law in place. This includes just showing up and sharing a news tidbit.
• A legislator only takes a bill and lobbying efforts seriously if they can feel that you are indeed reliable when the time comes. This includes participating in public and technical working group hearings, do back-staff and research work, helping in writing up reports, and more importantly, provide answer inputs during floor deliberations and speaking events (as necessary).
  

These are just some of what we've done but there could be more. In the end, it is all about appealing to the legislators about a bill or law's importance to a greater benefit. Not to forget, their personal advantage and accomplishment as well if done.

Welcome to the Cyber Legislation Journal!

There are numerous policies being developed globally to heed the need for more legislation geared towards the use of ICT, Internet, cybercrime, and e-commerce. This blog intends to cover these developments.