Afrika Techno Policy

In his  farewell Presidential Address in 1961, outgoing US President Dwight Eisenhower then warned about the dangers of the military-industrial complex . He acknowledged the necessity of collaboration between the US government, the military, and industry for national development. But he cautioned that the alliance was vulnerable to abuse. Eisenhower further expressed his concern that the military-industrial complex could gain undue influence, ultimately surpassing the traditional powers of the State. Eisenhower’s warning has proven prescient. Over time, the military-industrial complex has evolved into a powerful force that, driven by profit motives, plays a significant role in perpetuating global conflicts and wars. Today, in this digital age, Eisenhower’s speech resonates once again , but with a modern twist — ushering in the rise of what I term the “digital industrial complex.” As we witness the increasing convergence of technology, industry, and government, especially in Afr...

In recent months, I have been thinking a lot about the ethics that should guide the development and deployment of modern technology. A lot can be said about getting the foundation right to realize the ultimate purpose of technology - which is to benefit human beings and the world in which we live. The lens through which we view technology, will ultimately determine the lens through which we create it. Naturally, the lenses can take varying forms. They can be philosophical, ideological, political, ethical or moral perspectives. Whichever perspective one chooses should ensure a better life for all. Say, then, we make the correct choice, and we manage to create technology that serve that goal. Does it go without saying that the result will be just that? In other words, say we create technology which understands that umuntu, ngumuntu ngabantu, and which seeks to protect that ethic, what happens when it is deployed? What happens when human beings, beautiful and flawed as they are, enter t...

During the December holiday season South African media surfaced public concerns about the news of drone-enable surveillance of beaches by the City of Cape Town (CoCT) to enforce a ban on alcohol on Cape Town's beaches. Members of the public expressed concern about being filmed in their beachwear, albeit in a public place. One source of discomfort was male CoCT officials in a remote location scrutinizing drone images of female bodies in near real time.  In response to public concern Cape Talk Radio invited me to discuss the tensions between individual privacy in public places and questions of  public order. You can listen to a recording of that interview here to understand the issues and some of the emotions around them. While this incident and discussion on Cape Talk focused on the specifics of Cape Town's beaches and South African law, many of the issues raised are salient across the continent. In an all too abbreviated analysis in the interview I suggested t...