By Juliet Nanfuka |
On May 30, 2018, Uganda’s parliament passed the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill 2018, which will see users of Over-The-Top (OTT) services that include messaging and voice calls via Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype and Viber pay a mandatory fee of UGX 200 (USD 0.05) per day of use. In another move that could hit affordability, stifle innovation, and undermine the role…
By Juliet Nanfuka |
Barely two weeks after the presidential assent to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, a High Court judge has issued a conservatory order suspending the entry into force of 26 sections of Kenya’s contentious Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018. The order by Judge Chacha Mwita, suspending the sections until July 18, follows a petition filed by the…
Joint Call to G20 Leaders |
G20 countries have both the opportunity and the responsibility to lead efforts to reinstate trust in the digital age. G20 members can inspire hope and embrace the goal that no country, no community, and no individual will be left behind and that their rights will be respected. G20 countries can set a digital agenda that…
News Update |
President Uhuru Kenyatta has assented to the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017. The new law imposes hefty fines and long prison terms for cyber bullies and fake news dealers. It also targets journalists, media houses, social media users, bloggers and other internet users.
The assent comes amid calls for the president to revert the law back to Parliament to…
Joint Statement |
Access Now and The Internet Society on The Need to Protect The Core of The Internet for Digital Rights.
The internet is changing our world. It can empower us. It can connect us and facilitate information exchange across borders. It allows our voice to be heard when others want to silence us. Internet access has been recognized by the United…
News Update |
Nairobi, May 10, 2018 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta not to sign into law a cybercrimes bill that was recently passed by the National Assembly because it will stifle press freedom.
On April 26, 2018, the National Assembly approved the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017. The bill, among other provisions, criminalizes the publication of false…
Gender Gap News |
Half the world will be online by the end of 2018, according to our estimates at the Web Foundation. This is an incredible milestone — but it also means that nearly four billion people across the globe are still offline, shut out from the digital revolution and the opportunities that many take for granted.
This digital divide mirrors…
Burundi News Update |
Burundi’s press regulator on Friday said it was suspending broadcasts by the BBC and Voice of America (VOA) by local radio stations ahead of a constitutional referendum on May 17.
The head of Burundi’s National Communications Council told journalists in the capital Bujumbura that a six-month ban would come into force on Monday. Karenga Ramadhani accused the BBC…