Two kinds of businesses are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. One, businesses that are connected to the internet but don't know how to navigate the digital market; two, businesses that don't have good internet connectivity. Speakers at the 15th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2020, backed by the United Nations (UN), deliberated on how the pandemic has affected the growth of digital economies and what governments need to do to promote inclusivity. The pandemic has forced many small businesses and consumers to adopt the internet in their daily lives. This adoption has, in turn, given rise to digital payments, internet penetration and increased e-commerce activity. Speakers, however, noted that there were many on the other side of the digital divide who were at the risk of being left behind, who need government support and guidance. Need for regulatory and government response Not just small business, but many consumers are also entering the realm of a digital economy for the first time in their lives. Therefore, there is a need for dialogue between the government, consumers, entrepreneurs and others to craft policies going forward, speakers said during a discussion on building inclusive policies in the digital economy for emerging markets. "We have a landscape that's so scattered with overlapping of different agencies and ministries and we are looking into these issues. Co‑regulation is coming out very soon. We believe that everybody needs to be in constant dialogue on issues and also entrust other players than just the government to actually enforce certain…
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UN Internet Governance Forum: ‘Pandemic fuelling digital economies, but also increasing digital divides’
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