Africa

FIRE Awards deadline extended due to great public interest
FIRE Awards deadline extended due to great public interest 22 May 2013 Babusha Radhakissoon

Due to immense interest in the FIRE Programme Awards 2013, we are extending the deadline, again. We don‘’t want you to miss out, so here is your last opportunity to apply for the awards. The deadline for submission is now 31 May 2013! That gives you more time to apply.

PRESS RELEASE: Improve participation, planning and allocation: APC's comments to the South African national broadband policy
PRESS RELEASE: Improve participation, planning and allocation: APC's comments to the South African national broadband policy 22 May 2013 AL

In April 2013, the South African government published their proposal for a national broadband policy with the aim of ensuring “universal service and access to reliable, affordable and secure broadband services by all citizens prioritising, rural and under-serviced areas.” These are the comments officially submitted by APC.

Press release: Freedom of expression and hate speech continue to dominate internet rights discourse at UPR
Press release: Freedom of expression and hate speech continue to dominate internet rights discourse at UPR 21 May 2013 Shawna Finnegan

Between 22 April and 3 May 2013, the UN Human Rights Council held the 16th session of its Universal Periodic Review. APC, together with its members and partners, developed submissions for the inclusion of internet-related human rights issues in the recommendations made for the reviews of Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Canada and Colombia.

Freenet? film project launched in Brazil examines internet rights
Freenet? film project launched in Brazil examines internet rights 03 May 2013 Mallory Knodel

“Who controls the web? On whose behalf? How free are we really to access content?” These are questions that are being asked and answered by a global, crowd-sourced film project. Instituto Nupef, APC member in Brazil, has launched a collaborative documentary film project.

Alternatives organises activities at the 2013 World Social Forum
Alternatives organises activities at the 2013 World Social Forum 19 April 2013 Alexandra Groome

APC member Alternatives helped organise a delegation of 200 people from Quebec to attend the 2013 World Social Forum in Tunis, where the Arab Spring movement was born, from 26 – 30 March 2013.

Joint Submission on Internet-related Human Rights Issues in Nigeria
Joint Submission on Internet-related Human Rights Issues in Nigeria 18 March 2013 Fantsuam, Paradigm Initiative

This submission focuses on freedom of expression and freedom of information highlighting how the internet is being used to promote and protect human rights in Nigeria, and the danger to human rights posed by lack of protection for journalists in Nigeria. A recent report on intermediate liability in Nigeria stated: “The increased availability of internet access and telecommunication facil...

Using open spectrum in Africa to improve access with wireless broadband
Using open spectrum in Africa to improve access with wireless broadband 05 March 2013

At an event hosted by APC, WAPA and Google Africa in October 2011, government officials, regulators, and industry leaders gathered to discuss the benefits of TV white spaces (TVWS). In a recent piece on this emerging issue, “TV’s white spaces connecting rural Africa” BBC News highlights outcomes from the spectrum workshop and potential unprecedented impacts on access.

New: Update on freedom of expression progress for 10 countries
New: Update on freedom of expression progress for 10 countries 30 January 2013 FD

The 2012 update on action steps for selected countries of GISWatch 2011 looks back at progress in freedom of expression and association for 10 countries: Jamaica, Rwanda, Lebanon, Romania, Indonesia, Cameroon, Argentina, Brazil, India and Nigeria.    

Intermediary liability in South Africa
Intermediary liability in South Africa 04 January 2013 Alex Comninos

This paper looks at the role of internet intermediaries in South Africa as well as their limitations on enabling communication and facilitating information flows and the recently placed policy focus on internet intermediaries.

South African ISPs squeezed by newly proposed legislation
South African ISPs squeezed by newly proposed legislation 11 December 2012 FD

South Africa is one of several countries that possesses a “notice and take down regime” for online content, meaning that internet service providers are obliged to take down content that is deemed controversial by a complainant. Understanding this regime as unconstitutional since its inception in 2002, an attorney in Johannesburg has embarked on crusade to change it.

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