November 2023 - KICTANet

Blank tape levy comes to effects in Kenya.
by Mwendwa Kivuva 07 Nov '23

07 Nov '23

The cost of ICT devices had gone up after the blank tape levy came into force. What is a Blank Tape Levy? A nominal fee imposed on the sale of blank media and devices, such as CDs, DVDs, USB drives, and smartphones, which can be used to make personal copies of copyright content. The collected funds are then distributed to creatives. What is affected? Any device that can be used to store copyrighted content like a phone, computer, laptops, smart watches, CDs, tapes, memory card, TV, game consoles, printing papers, photocopying machines, hard disks or USB disk. Why? This levy is imposed by the Copyright law to compensate copyright holders for potential revenue lost when individuals make private copies of their copyrighted works, such as music, movies, or software. Private copying allows individuals to make personal backups or copies of copyrighted material for their own use, such as making a backup of a music CD or copying a movie to a personal device. What is the commencement date? 15th September 2023. Read more about the law here https://copyright.go.ke/sites/default/files/downloads/FAQs%20on%20Blank%20T… Reuben Kagame sued to halt release of the levy to creatives to ensure the equitable distribution of the collected funds without excluding any category of copyright owners. Read more here https://www.google.com/search?q=blank+tape+levy+kigame&rlz=1CDGOYI_enKE1017…

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UNESCO Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms Launched
by Victor Kapiyo 07 Nov '23

07 Nov '23

Dear listers, UNESCO has launched the Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms. These Guidelines outline a set of duties, responsibilities and roles for States, digital platforms, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, media, academia, the technical community and other stakeholders to enable the environment where freedom of expression and information is at the core of digital platforms governance processes. The Guidelines were produced through a multi-stakeholder consultation that gathered more than 10,000 comments from 134 countries. These global-scale consultations fostered inclusive participation, ensuring a diversity of voices to be heard, including those from groups in situations of marginalization and vulnerability. Cultivating an Internet of Trust is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders. It calls upon us all to sustain an enabling environment for freedom of expression and the right to information. Read more - https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000387339 Regards, Victor Kapiyo Partner | Lawmark Partners LLP Nine Planet Apartments, Nairobi | Web: www.lawmark.co.ke ==================================================== “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” Zig Ziglar

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Public Participation: Have Your Say on the Draft Kenya Space Bill 2023
by David Indeje 06 Nov '23

06 Nov '23

Dear Listers, The Kenya Space Agency is developing a legal framework to regulate and promote the development of the space sector in Kenya. The Draft Kenya Space Bill 2023 aims to provide for the establishment, management, and functions of the Kenya Space Agency, as well as the regulation of space activities and related matters. We invite you to review the Draft Kenya Space Bill 2023 and share your views and comments. You can access the draft bill and other relevant documents from the links below. Kenya Space Agency (ksa.go.ke) <https://ksa.go.ke/docs/kenya-space-bill> Please send your written submissions by email to secretariat(a)ksa.go.ke or by post to the Director-General, Kenya Space Agency, by Monday 20 November 2023 at 5:00 p.m. -- *Kind Regards,* *David Indeje* *KICTANet Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals KICTANet.or.ke <https://kictanet.or.ke/> | Twitter <https://twitter.com/kictanet> | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/18428106/admin/> | Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/>

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Citizen Data protection anomaly at Ministry of Interior
by Mwendwa Kivuva 05 Nov '23

05 Nov '23

In the age of data protection, the Ministry of Interior is publishing at scale the names of all citizens who have successfully applied for passports. Every week since the CS initiated the rapid results initiative, the Immigration Department has been publishing publicly the names of all passports ready for collection. Kindiki may have been doing a good thing - expediency, but as they say, the road to hell is paved by good intentions. The list is available on the immigration department website here http://immigration.go.ke/category/rri-7/ for all passports ready for collection for 6th-10th November 2023. More data is available for other weeks. The data has tracking numbers, full passport holder names, and collection dates. Through quick analysis, this week alone has 18,654 names published and distributed as follows; Kisii 1500 Kisumu 1692 Eldoret 1787 Embu 1750 Mombasa 1552 Nakuru 1000 Nairobi 9373 Questions 1. What can go wrong? What can bad actors do with this data? 2. Do data subjects need to give consent for such data to be published in a public portal? 3. Does the government have the capacity to safely handle mass citizen data? 4. How have other government agencies provided verification services without compromising on privacy? IEBC had such a challenge before the 2022 elections and they instituted a verification process for accessing voter registration data. 5. Does the Ministry of Interior have the capacity to roll out the Digital ID dubbed Maisha namba? 6. Is the ODPC under the Data Protection Act 2019 up to the task of regulating and enforcing compliance of government agencies? 7. How can we help the government in handling citizen data? For demonstration purposes, what are the implications of a data breach at scale? Just this year, there were allegations that Fuliza scammers gained access to the National Registration Bureau Database and added new citizens. The freshly minted ghost citizens went ahead and borrowed close to Ksh500 million through Safaricom’s Fuliza overdraft facilities. https://ntvkenya.co.ke/crime/eight-suspects-arrested-in-kes-500-million-ful…

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