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Pro-Active or Aggressive from The FTC on Log4j Vulnerabilities
by Adrian Teri 14 Jan '22

14 Jan '22

Good day all, An example for our own Office of The Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) of proactiveness or a heavy handed/aggressive approach? The FTC in their blog post threatened legal action and likened this turning into a situation like the #Equifax breach which resulted with the credit reference bureau paying out $700 million in fines. When vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited, it risks a loss or > breach of personal information, financial loss, and other irreversible > harms. The duty to take reasonable steps to mitigate known software > vulnerabilities implicates laws including, among others, the Federal Trade > Commission Act and the Gramm Leach Bliley Act. It is critical that > companies and their vendors relying on Log4j act now, in order to reduce > the likelihood of harm to consumers, and to avoid FTC legal action. > According to the complaint in Equifax > <https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/07/equifax-pay-575-mill…>, > a failure to patch a known vulnerability irreversibly exposed the personal > information of 147 million consumers. Equifax agreed to pay $700 million to > settle actions by the Federal Trade Commission > <https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/equifax-data-brea…> > , the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau > <https://www.consumerfinance.gov/equifax-settlement/>, and all fifty > states. The FTC intends to use its full legal authority to pursue companies > that fail to take reasonable steps to protect consumer data from > exposure as a result of Log4j, or similar known vulnerabilities in the > future. > https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/techftc/2022/01/ftc-warns-companies-r…

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How did you find me? Google Maps
by David Indeje 09 Jan '22

09 Jan '22

Dear Listers, Data collection and how it is used. An Italian mafia boss who has been on the run for decades has been arrested after he was spotted on Google Maps. After his arrest, he reportedly told police: "How did you find me? I haven't even called my family for 10 years." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59884803 After reading, also revisit our KeIGF2021 discussion on a similar topic 👇 but on priorities for 2022 when it comes to cyber security. https://youtu.be/wTxMuXVj-Go

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Automated Decision Systems (ADS)
by Adrian Teri 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

Good Day All, @bantigito has been at the forefront of "*digitalisation*", but are we spectating at a problem that will prevail in the very near future and seems to have no cure nor enthusiasm to understand and solve it? @bantigito I believe this issue/space has much more severe consequences than #Blockchains. Just like problems in computer and network security problems have been carried over to everything, nowadays getting a TCP/IP stack in a device is very cheap and everything is just a computer, the problem of *unaudited algorithms* and* systems* making and affecting decisions is going to cut across every sector, agency and corporation. I wonder how many such systems are currently being used and are soon to come (Ministry of Lands - Ardhisasa, Automated Road fines by NTSA etc.). Identification Systems, Electioneering, Public Work, Travel an Immigration, Tax Revenue Collection and Retirement Benefits, Electronic Health/Medical Records, Banks and Credit Lending, Insurance ...etc The investigative journalism piece by @TheMarkup - https://themarkup.org/news/2022/01/04/why-its-so-hard-to-regulate-algorithms Yours Kindly, Adrian

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Deluge of Digital Repression Threatens African Security
by David Indeje 05 Jan '22

05 Jan '22

Dear listers, The above write-up by Nathaniel Allen and Catherine Lena Kelly also shares the work that KICTAnet does through its multistakeholder approach to ensure that efforts to secure cyberspace do not infringe on the rights of citizens. Enjoy the reading 👇 and may the New Year be full of positivity ☺️ https://africacenter.org/spotlight/deluge-digital-repression-threatens-afri…

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Huduma Namba to replace KRA PIN in battle against tax cheats
by Victor Kapiyo 03 Jan '22

03 Jan '22

The controversial biometric identification scheme or Huduma Namba will replace the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN in changes to the law that are designed to check tax cheats. The government-backed Huduma Namba Bill, 2021 amends the Tax Procedure Act to make biometric ID the key number for identifying taxpayers. Read more: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/economy/huduma-namba-replace-kra-pin…

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Regional Open Source Digital Infrastructure Community Survey on Funding
by Wainaina Mungai 22 Dec '21

22 Dec '21

Dear Colleagues, Kindly respond to the Regional Open Source Digital Infrastructure Community Survey on Funding - https://tally.so/r/3xl9o3 The goal of this survey is to better understand regional open source digital infrastructure needs and experiences around applying for and receiving funding. We welcome responses from all open source digital infrastructure communities regarding their relationship to funding. This research will help inform a funder’s toolkit, to help funders better understand and invest in critical digital infrastructure and open source, so your input is very useful! Thank you for your time. Survey responses are anonymous. This survey will take approximately 15 - 20 minutes to complete. This survey will close January 17th, 2021. If you have any questions about the survey or want to learn more about the project, please don't hesitate to contact us at: dig-infra(a)simplysecure.org. About the Project This survey will inform Digital Infrastructure Funders' Toolkit and will be a set of actionable resources for funders to better support open source digital infrastructure projects and communities of practice. This project is funded by a 2020 Digital Infrastructure Grant, a multi-funder collaboration supported by the Open Collective Foundation. This project is led by Simply Secure, with support from Superrr and nine regional partners. Thanks again, Wainaina Mungai Regional Partner for East Africa Digital Infrastructure Funders Toolkit project SimplySecure.org

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Re: [kictanet] KICTANet Digest, Vol 166, Issue 11
by Adrian Teri 17 Dec '21

17 Dec '21

Good day Mr. Mungai, It would be great if also open source founders/contributors in the Kenyan/East African region are highlighted at the end of this exercise. Yours Kindly, Adrian ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Wainaina Mungai <wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com> > To: "INTERNETSOCIETY-kenya(a)ConnectedCommunity.org" < > INTERNETSOCIETY-kenya(a)connectedcommunity.org>, KICTAnet ICT Policy > Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2021 08:03:14 +0300 > Subject: [kictanet] Regional Open Source Digital Infrastructure Community > Survey on Funding > Dear Colleagues, > > Kindly respond to the Regional Open Source Digital Infrastructure > Community Survey on Funding - https://tally.so/r/3xl9o3 > > The goal of this survey is to better understand regional open source > digital infrastructure needs and experiences around applying for and > receiving funding. We welcome responses from all open source digital > infrastructure communities regarding their relationship to funding. This > research will help inform a funder’s toolkit, to help funders better > understand and invest in critical digital infrastructure and open source, > so your input is very useful! > > Thank you for your time. > > Survey responses are anonymous. > > This survey will take approximately 15 - 20 minutes to complete. This > survey will close January 17th, 2021. If you have any questions about the > survey or want to learn more about the project, please don't hesitate to > contact us at: dig-infra(a)simplysecure.org. > > About the Project > This survey will inform Digital Infrastructure Funders' Toolkit and will > be a set of actionable resources for funders to better support open source > digital infrastructure projects and communities of practice. This project > is funded by a 2020 Digital Infrastructure Grant, a multi-funder > collaboration supported by the Open Collective Foundation. This project is > led by Simply Secure, with support from Superrr and nine regional partners. > > Thanks again, > > Wainaina Mungai > Regional Partner for East Africa > Digital Infrastructure Funders Toolkit project > SimplySecure.org > _______________________________________________ > KICTANet mailing list > KICTANet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >

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Re: [kictanet] KICTANet Digest, Vol 166, Issue 8
by Adrian Teri 14 Dec '21

14 Dec '21

Good day Mr Muite, On the question of big brother, no one is fit or should have the say and/or control of a population greater than all the Southern hemisphere + India >= 3 Billion people! In the first place we have unquestionably learnt that polarising or things that make us angry are the most engaging. The motivation/interests of social media companies is to simply keep as many eyeballs, Monthly Active Users (MAU's), glued to screens so they can push as many #ads. #FaceBook especially sucks at local content moderation. As indicated earlier Kenya has 42 languages. Just imagine the size of teams that would be required the whole of Africa? They lean to "Machine Learning" to solve the problem which generally sucks as they want to maximize shareholder value by having less number of employees. Scott Galloway has an excellent presentation from 2017 illustrating this from "The Four" - *https://youtu.be/GWBjUsmO-Lw?t=2234 <https://youtu.be/GWBjUsmO-Lw?t=2234>.* Staring @ 37:14 #FaceBook sucks at moderating in English. In Arabic, it's a disaster - *https://restofworld.org/2021/facebook-is-bad-at-moderating-in-english-in-arabic-its-a-disaster/ <https://restofworld.org/2021/facebook-is-bad-at-moderating-in-english-in-ar…>* I have read reports that attribute the magnitude of #Myanmar and now #Ethiopia's mess to lack of content moderation - *https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/25/business/ethiopia-violence-facebook-papers-cmd-intl/index.htm <https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/25/business/ethiopia-violence-facebook-pape…>* l FacaBook AI moderation sucks because moderation at scale is impossible - *https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211020/13270147784/facebook-ai-moderation-continues-to-suck-because-moderation-scale-is-impossible.shtml <https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211020/13270147784/facebook-ai-moderati…>* Leave alone civil societies, can a gov'ts get data of it's own country? Now that #FaceBook is on the war path using their arsenal of Copyright, Terms of Service & Computer and Misuse Acts, they claim they want to prevent another #Cambridge Analytica by quashing all research efforts even where the user has permitted a plugin/extension in their own volition(It is important to note that any data/metadata you add or is created in your usage of many services is not your own!). Well, they lost that privilege when they let them do it earlier. An excellent Twitter Thread by Cory Doctorow -* https://twitter.com/doctorow/status/1374785763779375104?s=20 <https://twitter.com/doctorow/status/1374785763779375104?s=20>* The EFF has an excellent piece on questions to ask, what to demand of content moderation and the U.S election -* https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/content-moderation-and-us-election-wh… <https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/content-moderation-and-us-election-wh…>* As seen in the recent #USA election will the #Algorithm be cut back for safety during the Kenyan electioneering period next year? I see only one solution. Null route or drop all packets to and from Social sites that could care less at the eXchange points. In fact start doing so from the New Year! The cleaver/intelligent learn from the mistakes of others. Also, those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. Yours Kindly, Adrian ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Benson Muite <benson_muite(a)emailplus.org> > To: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2021 16:25:07 +0300 > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Regulating hate speech and incitement to violence > during elections in Kenya > An interesting piece that raises the question of who should be assigned > the role of Big Brother[1]? > > Part of the problem is that many local agencies have poor mechanisms of > updating and alerting the public, for example through their own > websites. Obtaining information through convenient social media > platforms becomes the norm without any fallback references. > > This list is an example of a space for open constructive discussion > under local control. More such spaces are needed. > > A critical and informed citizenry are the long term solution, but even > with an informed citizenry, information overload makes propagation of > fear, uncertainty and doubt easy. > > Attached image modified from[2] and available under licensi ya sanaa huru! > > [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Brother_(Nineteen_Eighty-Four) > [2] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1984-Big-Brother.jpg > > _______________________________________________ > KICTANet mailing list > KICTANet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >

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Regulating hate speech and incitement to violence during elections in Kenya
by Mwendwa Kivuva 12 Dec '21

12 Dec '21

Abdulmalik Sugow and Dr. Isaac Rutenberg of Strathmore's CIPIT have penned a very insightful piece on regulating hate speech and incitement to violence. They go ahead to explain the legislation in place, and the role of social media platforms to self regulate, develop and enforce guidelines, and the challenges of letting foreign entities enforce hate speech, and platforms' free speech rights in the jurisdiction in which they are established, combined with algorithms bias, because the platforms' algorithms are rarely optimized for local context or “foreign” speech nuances and customs. An example is Kenya with over 42 languages, these platforms are at pains to self-regulate local languages leaving hate speech at the mercy of locals to report, flag, or downrank inappropriate content. Then there is the problem of balancing free expression with the fundamental freedoms of the citizens. Where do you draw the line? Some of the recommendations are for social media platforms to collaborate with government agencies like NC4, NCIC, and IEBC, and civil society to building the capacity of social media platforms’ content moderation tools used in Kenya and fostering transparency in the conduct of these platforms to enable oversight. Civil society would also serve to hold both government and platforms accountable for their conduct. Political actors should also collaborate with civil society to engage the citizenry in civic education. Read more at: https://www.theelephant.info/features/2021/12/10/safeguarding-kenyas-electo… The Elephant - Speaking truth to power. NB: Excuse typos. Sent on the go via a mobile device.

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Fwd: [Internet Policy] EU may propose labor laws for delivery platforms
by Barrack Otieno 11 Dec '21

11 Dec '21

Listers, Interesting developments. Best Regards ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Richard Hill via InternetPolicy <internetpolicy(a)elists.isoc.org> Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 7:29 PM Subject: [Internet Policy] EU may propose labor laws for delivery platforms To: ISOC Internet Policy <internetpolicy(a)elists.isoc.org> “The European Commission announced draft rules on Thursday to give many drivers for online firms such as Uber (UBER.N) and Deliveroo (ROO.L) employee benefits, a move labour unions say is overdue but some companies argue will lead to job losses.” See: https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-draft-rules-gig-workers-target-uber-d… Best, Richard _______________________________________________ To manage your Internet Society subscriptions or unsubscribe, log into the Member Portal at https://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login and go to the Preferences tab within your profile. - View the Internet Society Code of Conduct: https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/ -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A

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