Governance Archives - tandaabiashara

May102019 by editorNo Comments

It’s time to break up Facebook opines Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes

Business, Cyber Security, Governance, Internet, Mobile, social media

Chris Hughes helped Mark Zuckerberg transform Facebook from a dorm-room project into a real business. Now, he's calling for the company to be broken up.In a lengthy opinion piece published Thursday by the New York Times, Hughes says that Zuckerberg has "unchecked power" and influence "far beyond that of anyone else in the private sector or in government."It's time, he writes, for regulators to break up Facebook (FB). "Mark is a good, kind person. But I'm angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," writes Hughes. "I'm disappointed in myself and the early Facebook team for not thinking more about how the News Feed algorithm could change our culture, influence elections and empower nationalist leaders," he continues. "And I'm worried that Mark has su

Apr32019 by Alex ReeceNo Comments

Benin Internet taxes would have cut active mobile broadband subscribers by 20%- Study

Governance, Internet, social media

In September 2018, the Benin government proposed a tax on over-the-top services. The proposed tax was two-fold: a 5% tax on the pre-tax price for voice, SMS and internet services and a 5 CFA fee per MB for data used to access social media and OTTs. This move was the latest case in a recent trend among governments to impose consumer-related taxes on internet access with the goal of raising revenues and in some cases stifling free speech. A4aI's previous analysis from Uganda showed that a social media tax (a daily fee to use over-the-top (OTT) services such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Viber) increased costs by as much as 10% for low-income groups. Additional research from CIPESA suggested the tax led to a decrease in the number of people using the internet. Key find

Jun202018 by Lynn WandiaNo Comments

M-Pesa Pushing Against Tax Hike on Mobile Money Services in Kenya

Business, Governance

A proposed tax increase on mobile money transfers in Kenya is drawing protests from several services, including M-Pesa. As part of a new tax proposal to raise government revenues, Kenya’s government is pushing to raise duties on mobile cash transfers by 2%. The government expects to net around $270 million in additional revenues and claims the extra income will fund a universal health care program to cover all households by 2022. But Safaricom-owned M-Pesa says the move could take a big toll, as it will “negatively impact mobile-led transfer services and payments” and reverse the gains of financial inclusion by making it more expensive to conduct business transactions and make payments using mobile money services. Since it was launched in 2007, M-Pesa, the largest mobile money

May222018 by Alex ReeceNo Comments

Facebook makes a u-turn, European Parliament grilling of Mark Zuckerberg will now belivestreamed

Governance, Internet

In a change of plan, the public will now be able to livestream and watch Mark Zuckerberg's response to European Parliament leaders' privacy concerns. The body's president, Antonio Tajani, has tweeted that tomorrow's 75-minute meeting would be livestreamed. Earlier, news that the Facebook chief's meeting with the parliament's political group leaders would be in private, had been criticised. Facebook has repeatedly declined to allow British MPs to quiz Mr Zuckerberg about the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which millions of users' personal data was shared with a political consultancy in breach of the social network's rules. "The data breach affected over one million UK Facebook users," tweeted Damian Collins - chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee - over

May172018 by Nasha HarperNo Comments

Computer and Cybercrimes Bill Enacted into Law in Kenya as media and rights groups oppose move

Cyber Security, Governance

President Uhuru Kenyatta enacted Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017 citing a two year jail term or Kshs 5 million fine for spreading fake news. The President’s decision is facing protests with many Kenyans claiming it is a move to suppress not only media freedom but citizens’ freedom of speech. The new law also provided for offences relating to computer systems, cyber espionage, false publications, child pornography, computer forgery, computer fraud, cyber stalking and cyber bullying, aiding or abetting in the commission of an offence. Offences relating to computer systems, a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both. Cybersecurity cost Kenya over Sh21.2 billion in 2017 coming a close second to Nigeria tha