Afrika Techno Policy

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...

As we enter 2025, the African conversation around Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is at an inflection point. A growing number of African countries are actively developing and implementing DPI projects, such as digital identity systems, e-government platforms, and national broadband networks. The challenges faced by Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practitioners offer valuable lessons for those working to build and maintain digital public goods. Just as IaC aims to automate and standardize technical infrastructure, DPI seeks to create foundational digital systems that serve the public good. However, the path forward requires considering several factors. The Fragmentation Challenge Recent developments in the IaC space, particularly the increased focus on security, multi-cloud and hybrid cloud support efforts, enhanced collaboration and workflow highlight a concern for DPI initiatives. If infrastructure tools become fragmented or restricted, it creates barriers to adoption and implementa...

In the December 2024 recent issue of the African Journal of Information and Communication , Nawal Omar and I  have a study on the IEC's mobile app, and how it handles data privacy and security dimensions. More broadly, while digital tools can enhance voter participation and streamline electoral processes, they must be developed and deployed with utmost attention to security and privacy - the cornerstones of democratic integrity. The trust citizens place in electoral systems extends to the digital tools that support them, making cybersecurity not just a technical requirement but a democratic imperative. These matters will become more acute in the years ahead Here is the title, abstract and other details: South African Electoral Commission’s mobile app for voters: Data privacy and security dimensions Nawal Omar, Scott Timcke In 2014, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (also known as the “IEC”) launched a mobile app to support voter participation in electoral processes. The app...

The inclusion of African indigenous languages in AI models is needed to safeguard Africans’ rights. While African languages have been resilient during European colonialism, the contemporary moment presents new challenges.  Without deliberate efforts to integrate indigenous languages into AI models, African cultural schema and ways of writing face a greater risk of marginalization. This is why initiatives by Orange and other tech giants who plan to train AI models in African languages is a welcome development.  The 2024 announcement highlights an awareness of AI companies investing in Africa. The first phase of this collaboration will focus on incorporating key regional languages, primarily those spoken in West Africa. Even so, these commercial ventures raise other concerns, especially when one thinks about the checkered history of industrialization. x Lessons from the Past I seek to draw attention to how global historical experiences are interconnected, providing insights as...