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Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges
by Brian Munyao Longwe 27 Aug '08

27 Aug '08

Yes, and the entire phenomenon that occurs between ISPs in order to allow them to announce networks to each other is what is known as peering http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peering which is the correct technical term. An excerpt from the above: " Peering requires physical interconnection of the networks, an exchange of routing information through the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing protocol and is often accompanied by peering agreements of varying formality, from "handshake" to thick contracts." This is what happens at KIXP which I established in 2000 and at various IXPs that I have been training ISPs on and helping various countries around Africa build for the past 8 years. Best regards, Brian - Hide quoted text - On 8/27/08, Gakuru, Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: As promised earlier, .... Here's how it works. When a user types a website name into his browser or clicks "send" to launch an e-mail, a Domain Name System server produces an IP address for the destination. A router belonging to the user's ISP then consults a BGP table for the best route. That table is built from announcements, or "advertisements," issued by ISPs and other networks -- also known as Autonomous Systems, or ASes -- declaring the range of IP addresses, or IP prefixes, to which they'll deliver traffic. .... <http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/revealed-the-in.html> regards, On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 3:48 PM, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Clearly Brian I am was not referring to peering but something within. > I shall locate and extract the lines from my 6deploy notes and post. > > regards, > > > > --- On Thu, 8/14/08, Brian Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> From: Brian Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges >> To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com >> Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> Date: Thursday, August 14, 2008, 12:52 AM >> Alex, >> >> The term is not "announcing" it is known as >> "peering" >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peering which is defined as >> " >> is voluntary interconnection of administratively separate >> Internet<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet> >> networks <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_network> >> for the purpose of >> exchanging traffic between the customers of each network. >> The pure >> definition of peering is settlement-free or "sender >> keeps all," meaning that >> neither party pays the other for the exchanged traffic, >> instead, each >> derives revenue from its own customers. >> " >> >> Underlying the ability to peer is the ability to access >> affordable >> infrastructure, otherwise most operators settle for transit >> arrangements >> where the inherent costs of the underlying transport is too >> high. >> >> Regards, >> >> Brian >> >> On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 9:47 PM, Gakuru, Alex >> <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com>wrote: >> >> > Alongside we should also consider the IXP concept >> where ISPs mutually >> > accept one another traffic without international >> transit (the concept >> > is called "announcing"). Simply put, such >> traffic never incurs >> > international transit costs. Question: Should this >> "part" of internet >> > cost consumers the same as costly international >> satellite? This >> > becomes more apparent when a lot of popular sites get >> locally hosted, >> > and for example where local content woes and comprises >> most traffic. >> > >> > Besides that, East (and all of) Africa should embrace >> solutions that >> > "keep Africa traffic in Africa" such as >> RASCOM 1 - the satellite now >> > in space that was designed by Kenya's own Engineer >> James Rege;) >> > potentially saving Africa a sizable chunk of the US$ >> 800 million >> > annual spending on transit traffic. Also more local >> and regional IXPs >> > would assist (and less NATs please) >> > >> > Network neutrality is a very hot one I dare not touch >> much except >> > affirm that whatever obstructs "the end-to-end >> > principle"< >> > >> http://web.mit.edu/Saltzer/www/publications/endtoend/ endtoend.txt> >> > should be removed from the network. They include >> privacy invading >> > techniques known as Deep Packet Inspection (or >> > >> DPI).<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_packet_inspection> >> Trust me to >> > sneak in consumer issues;) But it is an important >> aspect when >> > determining through whom your traffic passes. >> > >> > Regards, >> > >> > Alex >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 5:04 PM, mwende njiraini >> > <mwende.njiraini(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> > > In traditional telephony call termination >> revenues are shared between >> > > operators and are based on negotiated >> interconnection rates, in a >> > regulated >> > > environment, rather than the size and number of >> subscribers on the >> > network. >> > > (I stand to be corrected) Developing countries >> for a long time have >> > > benefited from revenues generated from this >> international settlement >> > > scheme. However, these revenues are rapidly >> being eroded by VoIP, which >> > is >> > > encouraged by 'loosely regulated' flat >> rate pricing of internet >> > bandwidth. >> > > The issue internet interconnection is based on >> the fact that >> > international >> > > ISPs have no incentive to enter shared-cost >> peering with ISPs developing >> > > countries thus forcing them to incur the full >> cost of transmitting >> > > international traffic. What incentives need to >> be put in place to >> > encourage >> > > shared-cost peering? Content development? >> > > >> > > >> > > There is raging debate on "network >> neutrality"; with network operators >> > > seeking to price network access on the basis of >> utilization in a bid to >> > > manage network congestion. In the US, for >> example the recent Comcast >> > case >> > > has resulted in the regulator, FCC, ruling that >> Comcast 'discriminatory' >> > > network management practices were illegal. To >> overcome the challenge of >> > > network congestion several proposals have been >> made including the >> > > introduction of bandwidth metered services. Vint >> Cerf, Google's chief >> > > internet evangelist, has proposed that ISPs >> should "introduce >> > transmission >> > > caps allowing users to purchase access to the >> Internet at a given minimum >> > > data rate, which would be guaranteed even during >> times of congestion." >> > Net >> > > neutrality is definitely an issue we may need to >> consider with reference >> > to >> > > the current developments in national and >> international fibre optic >> > > projects. >> > > >> > > References: >> > > >> > > http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10007079-93.html >> > > >> > > Regards >> > > >> > > Mwende >> > > >> > > Disclaimer: Comments are author's own. >> > > >> > > On 8/13/08, John Walubengo >> <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> > >> >> > >> Plse feel free to belatedly contribute on Day >> 1 or 2 themes, jst >> > remember >> > >> to pick the correct subject line. Meanwhile >> today we should discuss one >> > of >> > >> IG issues that touch squarely on the retail >> cost of Internet Service in >> > >> developing countries- the Internet >> Interconnection Charges (IIC, in >> > short) >> > >> >> > >> This issue is fairly complex and explosive >> but we could try and >> > understand >> > >> if we used a simplified model for Mobile >> Phone Interconnection Charges >> > and >> > >> Relationships. Consider mobile phone >> company, X with 8million customers >> > and >> > >> mobile phone company, Y with 2 million >> customers. Each company is >> > supposed >> > >> to compensate (pay) the other for terminating >> calls originating from the >> > >> other. In such a relationship, the bigger >> company X, can chose to >> > dictate >> > >> how much the smaller company, Y pays it to >> terminate the 'Y' calls to >> > its >> > >> bigger 'X' network/customers. >> > >> >> > >> This is losely similar to what is called >> Transit relationship on the >> > >> Internet. The big internet networks (Tier 1 >> and 2 Internet Backbone >> > >> Providers) in US/Europe get to dictate how >> much the smaller networks in >> > >> developing countries need to pay in order to >> terminate their internet >> > >> requests for email, web, dns, voip and other >> services into their >> > Network. >> > >> Even our much celebrated TEAMS, EASsy and >> other projects cannot escape >> > these >> > >> Transit Interconnection Costs. Ofcourse if >> you do not like their >> > >> Interconnection Charges you are free to take >> a walk into nowhere (read: >> > stay >> > >> offline). >> > >> >> > >> Another relationship does exist, the >> Peer-to-Peer relationship which is >> > >> equivalent to Mobile phone company Y and >> company X both having equal or >> > >> similar number of customers/value e.g. >> 5million each. In such a >> > >> relationship, the two Internet >> Backbone/Service providers chose NOT to >> > >> charge each other anything. Traffic between >> the two is exchanged >> > >> reciprically for free but below each of this >> big Networks are the >> > smaller >> > >> networks (read African networks), that must >> pay Transit Charges. Put >> > >> bluntly, Africa and other developing >> countries are subsidizing Internet >> > >> Costs for the rich nations in the North. >> > >> >> > >> Many studies have been carried out to get us >> out of this fix such as the >> > >> Halfway-propositions, the ICAIS, etc but >> todate the status quo remains. >> > The >> > >> standard response has remained 'If it >> current interconnection models are >> > >> working, why should you try and fix >> them?' >> > >> >> > >> 1 day for comments, corrections and/or >> proposals on this theme. >> > >> >> > >> walu. >> > >> >> > >> Ref: for some of the Studies: >> > >> International Charging Arrangements for >> Internet Services, Module I, >> > >> ICAIS, p.3 >> > >> >> http://www.tmdenton.com/pub/reports/icais_mod1_ch1.pdf >> > >> >> > >> The Half-Way Proposition. >> > >> >> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/back/balancing- act_130.html >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >>

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Day 3 of 10:-IGF Discussions, Internet Interconnection Charges
by John Walubengo 27 Aug '08

27 Aug '08

Plse feel free to belatedly contribute on Day 1 or 2 themes, jst remember to pick the correct subject line. Meanwhile today we should discuss one of IG issues that touch squarely on the retail cost of Internet Service in developing countries- the Internet Interconnection Charges (IIC, in short) This issue is fairly complex and explosive but we could try and understand if we used a simplified model for Mobile Phone Interconnection Charges and Relationships. Consider mobile phone company, X with 8million customers and mobile phone company, Y with 2 million customers. Each company is supposed to compensate (pay) the other for terminating calls originating from the other. In such a relationship, the bigger company X, can chose to dictate how much the smaller company, Y pays it to terminate the 'Y' calls to its bigger 'X' network/customers. This is losely similar to what is called Transit relationship on the Internet. The big internet networks (Tier 1 and 2 Internet Backbone Providers) in US/Europe get to dictate how much the smaller networks in developing countries need to pay in order to terminate their internet requests for email, web, dns, voip and other services into their Network. Even our much celebrated TEAMS, EASsy and other projects cannot escape these Transit Interconnection Costs. Ofcourse if you do not like their Interconnection Charges you are free to take a walk into nowhere (read: stay offline). Another relationship does exist, the Peer-to-Peer relationship which is equivalent to Mobile phone company Y and company X both having equal or similar number of customers/value e.g. 5million each. In such a relationship, the two Internet Backbone/Service providers chose NOT to charge each other anything. Traffic between the two is exchanged reciprically for free but below each of this big Networks are the smaller networks (read African networks), that must pay Transit Charges. Put bluntly, Africa and other developing countries are subsidizing Internet Costs for the rich nations in the North. Many studies have been carried out to get us out of this fix such as the Halfway-propositions, the ICAIS, etc but todate the status quo remains. The standard response has remained 'If it current interconnection models are working, why should you try and fix them?' 1 day for comments, corrections and/or proposals on this theme. walu. Ref: for some of the Studies: International Charging Arrangements for Internet Services, Module I, ICAIS, p.3 http://www.tmdenton.com/pub/reports/icais_mod1_ch1.pdf The Half-Way Proposition. http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/back/balancing-act_130.html

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The climate of innovation around IT in SSA
by Eric M.K Osiakwan 26 Aug '08

26 Aug '08

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/4569 - some how Kenya would be a centre piece of this conversation so you welcome to join by webcast and if you let me know in advance, we would schedule the interventions into the structure. Eric here Eric M.K Osiakwan ICT Integrator Internet Research www.internetresearch.com.gh emko(a)internetresearch.com.gh 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Tel: +233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: +233.21.258811 Cell: +233.24.4386792

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MobileActive08 Summit - Register Now!
by alice 26 Aug '08

26 Aug '08

MobileActive08 Summit 13-15 October 2008 Johannesburg, South Africa ------------------------------------------------------ SANGONeT and MobileActive.org are pleased to announce the programme for the MobileActive08 Summit. Please refer to http://mobileactive08.confabb.com. MobileActive08 is the only global gathering that is connecting leaders who are working at the convergence of civil society, mobile technology and social change. The three-day event convenes key stakeholders that will explore mobile technology in support of social action - how mobile phones are used to advance civil society work, assess the current state of knowledge in the use and effectiveness of mobile technology to advance social action, and investigate trends, needs and investment opportunities. Lots of great people from the ICT sector and civil society are leading sessions and workshops (http://mobileactive08.confabb.com/conferences/MobileActive08/speakers) and there is also lots of time to take it all deeper in the open space sessions. If you are thinking of registering, or know people who want to come to MobileActive08, please register/encourage them to register soon as we are rapidly filling up and will close registration when we reach 300 participants (and we are close!). Please register now at http://mobileactive08.org, and of course, let us know if you have any questions! Best wishes David --------------------------- David Barnard Executive Director Southern African NGO Network (SANGONeT) Tel: (+27) (11) 403-4935 E-mail: dbarnard(a)sangonet.org.za URL: http://www.sangonet.org.za "Linking civil society through ICTs" --- You are currently subscribed to aisi-l as: [alice(a)apc.org] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-aisi-l-84914M(a)lyris.bellanet.org

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Re: [kictanet] Abuse of Personal information
by James Kagwe 26 Aug '08

26 Aug '08

Brian, I think to me the abuse comes in due to the fact that the victim gave out personal information innocently not knowing what the recipient was planning to use it for. Later he was called and told that he had won a holiday which was actually a lie as it was pegged on him joining and paying a membership fee. I think it also feel bad when you are invited to take up a ticket which you have won only for people to use your three hours trying to market a product to you, they would as well come out clean and indicate what they want outrightly other than wasting your time. Besides, if I can take my example the time they approached me my financial position then, would not have afforded me such and if I new that they were calling me for that I wouldn't even had gone. Well, I may be wrong but that's my feeling. Regards, James Kagwe ________________________________ From: Brian Munyao Longwe [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:44 AM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Abuse of Personal information Hi James, I have been invited for this same session in much the same way the lady describes in her story. Due to a hectic schedule I didn't make it for the evening presentation, despite being scheduled (and confirming) 3 times in a row. While I cannot vouch for or against this particular group as I have not yet "tasted" their system/process etc, I will say that I went through an identical experience about 4-5 years ago with "Africa Vacation Club" - and my wife and I actually opted to purchase one of the options which was an off-peak week at their resort (my subsequent experience showed that it's a concept called timeshare). To cut a long story short, we paid for our membership category, have maintained our membership by paying the required annual maintenance fee and have enjoyed a wonderful week holiday at their Kilifi resort with the kids (I have 3). We have also since received our full RCI membership pack, including card and catalogue of other venues around the world where we can "exchange" our local week. But, having said that I do know, and am aware that some con artists have used this gimmick in the past to con innocent Kenyans out of hard-earned money, there are a couple of sites on the 'net that attest to that. What I'm curious about is how the experience you detailed/shared amounts to abuse of personal information? Especially since the said forms were filled voluntarily, which could be assumed to be an "opt in" decision milestone. Please elaborate? Regards, Brian On Aug 26, 2008, at 9:51 AM, James Kagwe wrote: All, I came across the following story http://www.wananchiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2370#post2370 <http://www.wananchiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2370#post2370> and felt I could share it with all of us. Talk about giving out personal information to the wrong people. I was a victim about 4 years ago and I cannot belief that these guys have been going on with this all this time. I have a feeling that this is some abuse of personal information and some policy issues need to be sort out somewhere regarding personal information and how it can / should be used. Best Regards, James Kagwe If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right. ********************************************************************* Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis Bishops Garden Towers Bishops Road P.O. Box 56445 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 2719933, 2719934, 2714714, 2714715 Fax: (254) 20 2719951 Confidentiality Warning ======================= The contents of this e-mail and any accompanying documentation are confidential and any use thereof, in what ever form, by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify admin(a)kippra.or.ke <mailto:[email protected]> and delete it immediately from your system. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis accepts no responsibility for losses or damage as a result of any viruses and it is your responsibility to check attachments (if any) for viruses. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: brian(a)caret.net Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/brian%40caret.net

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Abuse of Personal information
by James Kagwe 26 Aug '08

26 Aug '08

All, I came across the following story http://www.wananchiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2370#post2370 <http://www.wananchiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2370#post2370> and felt I could share it with all of us. Talk about giving out personal information to the wrong people. I was a victim about 4 years ago and I cannot belief that these guys have been going on with this all this time. I have a feeling that this is some abuse of personal information and some policy issues need to be sort out somewhere regarding personal information and how it can / should be used. Best Regards, James Kagwe If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right. ********************************************************************* Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis Bishops Garden Towers Bishops Road P.O. Box 56445 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 2719933, 2719934, 2714714, 2714715 Fax: (254) 20 2719951 Confidentiality Warning ======================= The contents of this e-mail and any accompanying documentation are confidential and any use thereof, in what ever form, by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify admin(a)kippra.or.ke <mailto:[email protected]> and delete it immediately from your system. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis accepts no responsibility for losses or damage as a result of any viruses and it is your responsibility to check attachments (if any) for viruses.

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Foreign Software Houses of Babel..in kenya.
by Bill Kagai 26 Aug '08

26 Aug '08

I am watching news in awe where they are reporting that Kenya Ports Authority has deployed a Korean piece of software (Kwatos) to ease turn-around at the Port but now its not working well with the Kenya Revenue Authority software from Chile (Simba). Ofcourse both cost billions. As the spanish-speaking chileans 'haga el informe con los otros extranjeros' with the Koreans to '소프트웨어를 저희를 위해 일한' , sisi wakenya tunangoja kusaidiwa. Mwafrika anajimaliza mwenyewe...as Baba Gideon would say. < http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt> The result according to one Mureithi of Kenya Shipping Associations is that port has now become a 'store' rather than a 'door' taking ages (14 days instead of 3 days) to clear goods because of the software conflict. Here be dragons...is this a kictanet sized problem...or do we just watch and comment later in another study on this discussion forum???? Time for an ICT Commission of Inquiry ??? Bill Kagai

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The digital war on poverty -this, we can win?
by Eric M.K Osiakwan 25 Aug '08

25 Aug '08

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/21/ digitalmedia.mobilephones Eric M.K Osiakwan ICT Integrator Internet Research www.internetresearch.com.gh emko(a)internetresearch.com.gh 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Tel: +233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: +233.21.258811 Cell: +233.24.4386792

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[Fwd: BPO study]
by alice 25 Aug '08

25 Aug '08

Dear all University of Nairobi will soon undertake comprehensive research in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sub-sector in pioneer, emerging and mature markets in order to provide evidence and a deeper understanding of the imperatives for success in this industry to better inform Kenya’s policy decisions and investment choices. Please find the brief attached and for all those interested, take note of the the launch workshop scheduled for 10^th September. Best alice

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[GENDER CENTRED] Cybercrime legislations]
by alice 25 Aug '08

25 Aug '08

(apologies for cross-posting) --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *GENDER CENTRED: A GenderIT.org thematic bulletin* --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *Cybercrime legislations and gender* I. SMALL THOUGHTS AROUND…Cybercrime legislations and gender II. NEW ARTICLES II. FEATURED RESOURCES IV. JARGON V. WHO'S WHO VI. DID YOU KNOW… --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- I. SMALL THOUGHTS AROUND…Cybercrime legislations and gender by Flavia Fascendini This edition of GenderIT.org examines the issue of cybercrime legislation through a gendered perspective and its implication on women, in collaboration with the ICT Policy Monitor Latinamerica and the Caribbean team of the Association for Progressive Communications. The focus of this edition was catalysed by issues and questions raised by our readers on the increasing pervasiveness of cybercrime legislations in different regions, and their potential impact on women's communication rights. As always, we began to investigate the issue with many questions: What is meant by “cybercrime”? In what kinds of spaces would cybercrimes be considered as being committed? How do they differentiate and affect ideas of the public and the private? How can this affect women as users and developers of the internet, e-mail, cell phones and other information and communication technologies (ICT)? Can cybercrime restrict the exercise of individual rights to privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties? Can the rhetoric of fighting cybercrimes in effect be used to restrict the exercise of women’s communication rights? How can the issue of cybercrimes be analysed from a feminist perspective? Is this issue currently part of the women's movement's agenda? How the criminalisation of online sexual expression and practices as well as the sex trade affect the sexual rights of women? In this edition of GenderIT.org, our team of writers together with the APC Policy Programme in Latin America Minitor team present the many facets of this challenging policy area. Their different approaches and stances clearly demonstrate the difficulty of drawing a clear line between protection of women's rights from violation and empowering their status as users and definers of ICT and the information society. The articles portray the current cybercrime landscape, arising issues and their gendered dimensions in different regions of the world – including India, Burkina Faso, USA, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia. We invite your reflections on this subject that remains contentious and sometimes directly absent. Read the full version of this editorial in the Feminist Talk section: http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f--e--1&x=96162 <http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f--e--1&x=96162> --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- II. NEW ARTICLES *Finding a difficult balance* *Human rights, law enforcement and cyber violence against women* GenderIT writer Mavic Cabrera-Balleza probed on new analytical frameworks of violence against women taking into account cyber violence and the challenges and dilemmas women activists confront as they struggle to address this relatively new dimension of gender injustice. She spoke with two women activists who are at the forefront of advocacy on violence against women at the national and international levels - Lesley Ann Foster, founder and Executive Director of Masimanye Women’s Support Network in South Africa and Charlotte Bunch, founder and Executive Director of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96169 <http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96169> *Cybercrime laws are not enough, there is also a need for education* The different forms of online violence against women should be covered by criminal legislation to provide adequate protection and redress. However, laws are not enough. There is also a need for education, prevention, the development of defence mechanisms and a legal system that is capable of addressing these issues without subjecting the victims to further victimisation. Carlos Gregorio, a researcher at the Research Institute for Justice (Instituto de Investigación para la Justicia) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, shares his views on a number of issues related to cybercrime. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96159 <http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96159> *Unequal protection, cyber crime and the internet in India* In assessing cyber crime legislation, policy makers and gender and development advocates must carefully consider the implications for privacy and information security. On the one hand, ICT have created opportunities to combat inequality through movements and communities against issues that were once deemed 'private', such as domestic violence and sex trafficking. On the other hand, ICT exacerbate existing structures of inequality by enabling cyber criminals to access and misuse private information to target vulnerable groups. As ICT blur the lines between personal and public, the nature of the internet and cyber crime - including how they affect human rights and social justice - must be questioned. Weiting Xu casts a gendered lens on cybercrime laws in India. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96161 <http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96161> *Dealing with fraud and internet "love": women and cybercrime in Burkina Faso* Fraud, data piracy, seeking partners on the internet: Ramata Soré discovers that women in Burkina Faso are as much victims as perpetrators. From Ouagadougou to Banfora via Bobo-Dioulasso, and from Ouahigouya to Dori, all towns with an internet connection are affected by this phenomenon. However, the fight against this crime is in the tentative stages, if not altogether non-existent. Legislation is still under development. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96160 <http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=a&x=96160> Visit the collection of a wide variety of other articles and resources related to this issue in the violence against women section: http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=i90501-e--1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- III. FEATURED RESOURCES *Take Back The Tech: Reclaiming ICT to end violence against women* Take Back The Tech! is a yearly 16-day campaign that aims to engage greater participation by all civil society, especially grrls and women ICT-users, to think about the issue of violence against women and ICT in diverse contexts and realities. By calling for all users to reclaim control over technology, the campaign is asking for the right to define, access, use and shape ICTs for its potential to transform power relations, towards a vision and reality of equality. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=r90501-e96196-1 *Online Harassment/Cyberstalking Statistics* Cyberstalking statistics have been collected by Working to Halt Online Abuse (WHOA) - a US-based online safety organisation - over the period of eight years, from 2000 till 2007. Data is gathered from survivors through the demographic questionnaire published on the WHOA web site at haltabuse.org . The released data are based on a total of 2,285 completed questionnaires. One interesting finding reveals that although women are still the primary victims, with men as the primary harassers, male victims and female harassers have significantly increased over the years. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=r90501-e96137-1 *CyberStalked: Our Story* The story of Cynthia Armistead, the founder of the site Cyberstalked (www.cyberstalked.org) The site originally began as a place to refute the defamation spread about Cynthia and her family across the internet. In this story, Cynthia shares the experiences of her and her daughter as targets of online harassment and stalking over period of several years. http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=r90501-e96138-1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- IV. JARGON *Cybercrime* Cybercrime (or e-crime) refers to criminal offences which are committed with the aid of ICTs (e.g. internet, mobile phone). Cybercrime laws may encompass broad range of issues, including such activities as hacking, intellectual property violations, dissemination of 'harmful' content such as child pornography or racist and xenophobic materials. Some experts divide cybercrime into three major categories, those committed against persons (e.g. online harrasment or pornography distribution over internet), cybercrimes against property (e.g. illegal sharing of copyrighted movies and music in peer to peers networks or software piracy), and cybercrimes against government (e.g. cyber terrorism). In many countries, cybercrime bills focus merely on economic and state security threads, and fail to recognise cybercrimes against persons, including serious forms of crimes against women, such as cyberstalking or cyber harassment. At the international level, cybercrime is addressed in the Convention on Cybercrime that attempts to harmonise national laws, improve investigative techniques and increase cooperation among nations. Human rights advocates criticize the failure of this treaty to protect privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties. To understand unfamiliar ICT or gender terms visit the Jargon section: http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=j--e--1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- V. WHO'S WHO *EPIC:Electronic Privacy Frontier* A public interest research center established in Washington in 1994. EPIC focus on emerging civil liberties issues, such as protection of privacy or freedom of expression in the information age. EPIC activities involve policy research, public education, conferences, litigation, publications, and advocacy. Among other, EPIC runs 'Domestic Violence and Privacy' project aimed to help practitioners with privacy issues their clients may face. As the part of this project, EPIC along with domestic violence advocates recommended to include strong privacy protections of online court records, which may put in risk domestic violence survivors, into the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the first federal legislation specifically addressing domestic abuse in USA. In their Gender and Electronic Privacy study, EPIC also examimes privacy issues from gender perspective. EPIC website: http://epic.org/ Gender and Electronic Privacy: http://epic.org/privacy/gender/ Domestic Violence and Privacy Project: http://epic.org/privacy/dv/ To find out more about key stakeholders in the field of ICTs, visit the Who's Who in Policy section: http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=w--e--1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- VI. DID YOU KNOW... *Gender Centred Archive* You can now check all editions of GenderIT.org thematic bulletin, published since 2006, in Gender Centred Archive: http://www.genderit.org/archive/?q=en/bulletin *Sign up for Gender Centred thematic bulletin* You can sign up for Gender Centred thematic e-bulletin focused on topical gender and ICT policy themes and issued in average four times per year: http://www.genderit.org/archive/?q=en/subscribe-bulletin --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *CopyLeft. 2008 APC Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP)* Permission is granted to use this document for personal use, for training and educational publications, and activities by peace, environmental, human rights or development organisations. Please provide an acknowledgement to APC WNSP. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Sylvie Niombo Brazzaville, Congo ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Envoyé avec Yahoo! Mail <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/…>. Une boite mail plus intelligente. --- You are currently subscribed to aisi-l as: [alice(a)apc.org] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-aisi-l-84914M(a)lyris.bellanet.org

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