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GSMA's Mobile Economy Report for Latin America is out.
by Nicholas Kisundu 05 Dec '22

05 Dec '22

The Mobile Economy-Latin America report by GSMA <https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsma/> is out. Some of the key findings include: 1. At the end of 2021, 60% (approximately 380 million people) of the population in Latin America was using mobile broadband services. 2. 36% of the population live within mobile broadband network coverage areas, but do not use mobile internet services (36% usage gap). The mobile usage gap is estimated at 61% in Africa according to GSMA, see here <https://www.connectingafrica.com/author.asp?section_id=761&doc_id=781406#:~….>. The reasons behind usage gaps do not differ much from one region to another. There are a number of assumptions that can be made to explain the mobile broadband usage gap. Bearing in mind that smartphones are the main access modes to broadband services, the aspect of this population using other alternative broadband services may not be the reason. This is because even when using other broadband services such as fixed wireless (WiFi), you will, at some point, use the mobile broadband services, provided you have a smartphone. In my opinion, the affordability of services and devices together with digital skills are the main causes of the usage gap. These people living within coverage areas and not using the services are either not able to afford the services and devices, or simply do not possess the basic knowledge and digital skills needed to use the services. We have a long way to go in addressing affordability, especially in the mobile services industry. It is high time governments become intentional in ensuring that people have access to affordable devices (for instance through tax-free/low tax for the importation of such devices), as well as access to affordable broadband services. Community networks are proving to be one way of getting affordable broadband services to the marginalized low-income population. More support is needed to ensure that community networks are empowered to deliver low-cost connectivity solutions to help bridge the digital divide. Digital upskilling, in equal measure, is required, especially in marginalized communities. Extending connectivity services to people who cannot afford the services, or do not have the skills to use the services would simply amount to a wasted investment. Kisundu Nicholas N, Digital Inclusion| ICT Policy, +254712770655 LinkedIn Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-kisundu-28933482/>

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Global Gender parity- % of individuals using the Internet in 2022
by Gachungi, Lydia 04 Dec '22

04 Dec '22

Nearly 260 million fewer women have access to the Internet than men. Learn more about the digital gender gap in @ITU's latest report on global connectivity: itu.int/en/mediacentre<http://itu.int/en/mediacentre>… [cid:image001.png@01D90817.28434EB0]

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Re: [kictanet] Study on gaps and needs of gig economy workers with a gender focus
by Angela Minayo 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

Dear Listers, The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) is the German federal agency in international cooperation for sustainable development. The Gig Economy initiative at GIZ aims to foster favourable framework conditions for fair work in the gig economy at the level of workers, platforms and critical stakeholders from politics, business and civil society. Despite the rapid expansion of the gig economy globally, the real-life experiences of gig workers in low- and middle-income countries has been overlooked. A study conducted by the Gig Economy Initiative aims to understand the skills needs and gaps of gig workers, with a gendered lens to reveal the unique challenges women face. As part of this study a survey has been designed to capture data on the: logistics of their work, support networks, working conditions and future prospects and opportunities of these workers. The Gig Economy initiative at GIZ aims to foster favourable framework conditions for fair work in the gig economy at the level of workers, platforms and critical stakeholders from politics, business and civil society. We are requesting *your support* in the dissemination of this survey amongst your networks and contacts to gig workers who are engaged via digital labour platforms. Gig workers include: ride-share drivers, data-labellers, bike-couriers, houseworkers, developers and anyone who finds their work via an online platform. Survey Link: https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/6TIhcGRA (completion time 5-7 mins) The survey will close on the 15th of December 2022 and can be accessed both on a computer and mobile. The final study will be released early to mid-2023 and GIZ will be happy to keep you updated on developments. Angela Minayo Program Officer- KICTANet 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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Re: [kictanet] KICTANet Roundtable Meeting on Gender and Data: The Role of the ODPC in Safeguarding Women's Data Protection, on 8th December 2022 at Royal Tulips Canaan Nairobi
by Angela Minayo 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

Hi Listers, KICTANet will be holding a half day Roundtable Meeting on Gender and Data: The Role of the ODPC in Safeguarding Women's Data Protection *on 8th December 2022.* We have reserved ten slots for listers with a background in data protection and privacy as well as women's rights to attend. If you would like to attend, kindly reach out to me and copy nkakusu(a)kictanet.or.ke The slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please find attached the concept note for the meeting for your information and planning. Angela Minayo Program Officer- KICTANet 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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What regulatory interventions exist to guard the consumer against service unavailability in the ICT sector?
by Nicholas Kisundu 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

Discussions around closing the digital (gender, PLWD, rural-urban) divide have been my daily uptake in the recent past, looking at how to bring everyone to the digital space. While we push to get the unconnected to be connected, a good percentage of those that are already connected are suffering from unreliable internet services offered by some ISPs in the market. The argument around this issue is that home/office internet subscriptions are time-based. The subscriber pays for access to the internet for a month, for example. A certain amount of money is prescribed, depending on the bandwidth one subscribes for. Along the way, the customer is faced with countless downtimes, which go uncompensated. In essence, the customer paid for service not delivered. I have had my fair share of this menace, and when I asked my ISP, the response was that if the service remains unavailable for more than 24 hours, then I should file a case with them for a refund. The point is, I may not get a complete cycle of 24 hrs downtime, but I may have 10 hrs today, 16 hours next week, and even 20 hours another week. Cumulatively, I could lose almost 3 days in a month, but I cannot get compensated since no one instance lasted for 24 hrs. Even with this provision from the ISP, the customer is highly disadvantaged, and mostly uninformed that there is such a provision. With the recent increase in remote working, these downtimes would cost one so much, especially those working from home, and upon such occurrences, they are required to procure the mobile data bundles that are usually expensive compared to fixed wireless services (that expense is on top of the monthly subscription). Are there regulatory measures in place to ensure that the customer gets exactly what they have paid for, or is it a case of a free market where the customer is at will to dump one ISP for another in such instances? If yes, do we then need the regulator to also enlighten the consumer of the existence of such regulations that protect them, and how they can best utilize them to ensure that they get value for their money? Most customers have no idea that there is anything they can do about it, other than picking a different ISP as a punishment for the non-performing one. While competition could be seen as a way to ensure ISPs provide quality and reliable services, some areas have only one ISP, operating as a monopoly, and the issue of competition doe not apply. As we champion digital inclusion, we must ensure that we have meaningful connectivity, which means, good quality and reliability of the services offered. Regards, Kisundu Nicholas N, Digital Inclusion| ICT Policy, +254712770655 LinkedIn Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-kisundu-28933482/>

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MPs open probe on data expiry, Safaricom Bonga points
by Victor Kapiyo 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

Parliament will probe telecommunications firms for imposing expiry dates on data bundles, airtime and loyalty programmes such as Safaricom’s Bonga Points, setting the stage for a fresh battle between the lawmakers and the operators. The National Assembly’s committee on Communications, Information and Innovation says it will also inquire into the widespread Internet speed throttling practice by internet service providers (ISPs). *Read more: * https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/economy/mps-open-probe-on-data-expir… *Victor Kapiyo* Partner | *Lawmark Partners LLP* *Suite No. 8, Centro House, Westlands, Nairobi | **Web: www.lawmark.co.ke <http://www.lawmark.co.ke> * ==================================================== *“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” Zig Ziglar*

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Set A Reminder to Join Us to Our #KICTANetSpaces
by David Indeje 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

Dear Listers, [image: image.png] Our *#KICTANetSpaces* will be held on December 3, 2000 at 8-9pm EAT to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2022. The theme of this year is "Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world." The day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities. This year, the theme has been broken down into three: 1. Innovation for disability-inclusive development in employment - SDG 8 2. Innovation for disability-inclusive development in reducing inequality - SDG 10 3. Innovation for disability-inclusive growth: sport as an exemplar case. To join, you need to have a Twitter handle which will enable you to set a reminder using this link to the spaces. https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1jMJgLDNDXbxL?s=20 We look forward to interacting with you all. -- *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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KENYA: Data Protection, Three Years Later
by David Indeje 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

Dear Listers, Mr John Walubengo is reminding us that it has been three years since the Kenyan Data Protection Act was enacted in November 2019 and two years since the first Data Commissioner was appointed and sworn into the Office of the Data Protection Commission. He goes further to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly side of data protection practices in Kenya. Worth reading. https://bit.ly/3U1uikT -- *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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Re: [kictanet] RSVP to Paradigm Initiative's Movie Premiere and Dinner during IGF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
by Judith Ogutu 28 Nov '22

28 Nov '22

Greetings from Paradigm Initiative, As a follow-up to our earlier invitation, we have an update for those who will be joining us for our exclusive movie premiere and dinner on *Wednesday*, *November 30th, 2022,* at *Radisson Blu Hotel* in *Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. *The movie will be screened on the sidelines of this year's Internet Governance Forum (#IGF2022) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. To start us off in our evening session, we have lined up activities which include a meet and greet, brief remarks, the movie screening, a moderated panel discussion, photo sessions, dinner, and networking. To those who are yet to respond to our invitation, kindly register availability with us. Below is an RSVP link: 👉 *https://bit.ly/ShortFIlmRSVP <https://bit.ly/ShortFIlmRSVP> * Kind Regards Judith Ogutu Communications Manager [image: Logo] <https://paradigmhq.org/> Paradigm Initiative Ambank House, 12th Floor 00100, Nairobi t: +254721259193 m: +254721259193 e: judith.ogutu(a)paradigmhq.org wwww.paradigmhq.org [image: Facebook icon] <https://web.facebook.com/ParadigmHQ> [image: LinkedIn icon] <https://ng.linkedin.com/company/paradigmhq> [image: Twitter icon] <https://twitter.com/ParadigmHQ> [image: Youtube icon] <https://www.youtube.com/paradigmhq> [image: Instagram icon] <https://www.instagram.com/paradigmhq> [image: Banner] <https://bit.ly/ShortFIlmRSVP> This email is confidential and intended for the recipient(s) specified in the message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party without the written consent of the sender. If you have received this message in error, please delete it immediately

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Register now - UNESCO Global Conference "Internet for Trust": Regulating Digital Platforms for Information as a Public Good. 21-23 February 2023
by Gachungi, Lydia 26 Nov '22

26 Nov '22

From: Internet Conference <internetconference(a)unesco.org> Sent: 25 November 2022 21:12 Subject: Register now - UNESCO Conference "Internet for Trust" 21-23 February 2023 You can now register to the upcoming UNESCO Global Conference "Internet for Trust": Regulating Digital Platforms for Information as a Public Good. The conference will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 21 to 23 February 2023. [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/305805bc-b715-65…] Registration is now open Click here to register<https://www.unesco.org/en/internet-conference?hub=71542> Together we will shape an internet for trust. Governments, regulators, digital content platforms, civil society, legal actors and intergovernmental organizations will come together in this global effort to protect information as a public good. The conference will serve as a forum for debate of a model regulatory framework for digital platforms that can act against the spread of harmful content online, while also protecting freedom of expression and other human rights. Visit our website<http://www.unesco.org/en/internet-conference> for more information on the programme and the model regulatory framework. Come and join us. Seats will fill up fast! Click here to register<https://www.unesco.org/en/internet-conference?hub=71542> Get inspired to build an internet for trust "Without facts, you can't have truth. Without truth, you can't have trust. Without trust, we have no shared reality, no democracy, and it becomes impossible to deal with our world's existential problems." - Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize winner, UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize Laureate Share on social media [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/94e593d6-45eb-e2…] Come and join us in making the internet a space of peace and trust. Registrations for @UNESCO's conference to regulate digital platforms is now open 21-23 February 2023 on.unesco.org/3OzyWFI What UNESCO does to protect freedom of expression online Check our publications and find out more about UNESCO's work to combat disinformation, hate speech and other harmful content spread online. Visit the website<https://www.unesco.org/en/communication-information/freedom-expression-onli…>. Related publications [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/8b616211-bf31-ba…] Journalism is a public good: world trends in freedom of expression and media development: global report 2021/2022 Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Portuguese. Visit<https://www.unesco.org/en/world-media-trends> [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/80ca1db7-3ea0-af…] Letting the sun shine in: transparency and accountability in the digital age Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Portuguese. Read<https://www.unesco.org/en/world-media-trends> [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/7b0e4742-edb0-03…] Balancing act: countering digital disinformation while respecting freedom of expression: Broadband Commission research report on 'Freedom of Expression and Addressing Disinformation on the Internet' Available in English Read<https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379015_eng> [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/ea478871-db6e-84…] Elections in digital times: a guide for electoral practitioners Available in English Read<https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000382102> [https://mcusercontent.com/72ebfe189bdcd1c4b7aedc782/images/0b8a311c-0629-c5…] Social media and elections Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian. Read<https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000370634_eng> For more information and to receive (or unsubscribe to) updates about the conference, contact: internetconference(a)unesco.org<mailto:internetconference@unesco.org>

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