Good afternoon!
Barrack, I suspect your MPESA is not yet so good as to have some accidental algorithms that push some loose currency $$$$ arbitrarily to you and not to others as the new media is said to do in its business model.
The goodness or otherwise of the new media especially discussed in relation to governance is that it is a new form of (cyber) government that projects itself to be driven by the human people while at the hindsight and in reality, it is driven by business motives. The famed algorithms come here - perhaps may be said to define the governance system, at times reflecting society and other times normalising some ways by promoting them. An area that elected human Governments and citizens will continue to grapple with.
We have instances of the enterprises calling on to Governments and at times the citizenry - this is taken very positively. However normally when the Governments initiate for policy dialogue, it is viewed as infringing, stifling innovation etc. Thus the onus is on Governments building the enabling environment while clear that its mandate is to its citizens and national interests even to future generations.
While, it is clear that the algorithm is human programmed, thus what is the interest of this "Super Programmer" whom the rest of the world must rely on.
In light of internet democracy, with the expansiveness of the internet and relevance to the whole world, this must be the call for greater accountability with more people (nations) sitting on the table determining what this"Super Programmer" does - for the interests of all. Even as this is compounded by the consideration that this is private enterprise in a "free market". At what point do you become public interest?
This scenario is not unique but a global push to business in its value system.
Have a blessed day.
Regards/Wangari
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Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth".
On Wednesday, 8 November 2017, 11:11, esther kamande via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
I agree Ali; the election period has raised a lot of
questions especially of the exercise of freedom of speech (especially on fake news and hate speech) on social media to boost different political agendas. This also brought to light some of the issues
deeply dividing our society which can be a positive thing should we choose to learn and positively engage
on the same as opposed to burying our heads on the sand hoping the issues will disappear.
In an ideal society we would use such platforms only for good but that is not always the case. I do not blame the social media companies and further do not expect them to provide the solution as they are really not the problem, we are. At some point and for sustainability
purposes, we will have to look into filing the policy gaps resulting from new
technology, as Barrack suggested; for purposes of not only safeguarding them from would
be abusers but to secure them as opposed to hoping there will be less users in
the future or people will be less interested/will not believe what is online. At the end of the day, we are what we feed ourselves on whether we believe
it or not.
Kind regards,
Esther Kamande