[kictanet] Communications Licencing Act

[Ali Hussein]

Solomon

A few weeks back while discussing Internet Governance issues and intermediary liability this issue came up.

My take is this. When in doubt ask yourself whether the action you are about to  engage in (e.g. Retweeting) will pass muster in our 'normal' daily lives. So for example if someone abused another in a party would you 'parrot' the same immediately after? After all isn't retweeting akin to parroting? Sorry but that in my opinion is logic.

Sometimes we lay too much emphasis on laws that are supposed to regulate us. In my humble opinion if you follow the laws of natural justice you will usually (admittedly not always) find that it is hard to go afoul of the law.

However, there are bloggers whose business model is to drive traffic to their blogs and sell advertising against those eyeballs. That business model is one's prerogative and there are laws to protect that blogger's right to free expression....just as there are laws to protect the aggrieved party. I say for those who do this they can role the dice and see what comes up. That I'm afraid is also true of free speech and enterprise.

My two cents

Ali Hussein

+254 773/713 601113

Sent from my iPhone®

On Aug 23, 2012, at 9:33 AM, Solomon Mbũrũ Kamau <solo.mburu at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ali et al,
> 
> I like that argument, which is penned on responsibilities. There is no
> shortcut to that.
> 
> I'm asking all these because a while ago there was a lister who asked
> issues regarding cohesion and it was pointed out that the NCIC (?) Act
> might have been passed by time since its enactment a while back. So
> that means it needs an ovehaul, to address emerging issues.
> Also, in this case of Alai, I retweeted what he said about Dr. Mutua,
> does it make me an accessory? I remember immediately after Dr. Ndemo
> banned live broadcast in 2008, he said some messages that flared
> ethnic tensions were  forwarded through as text messages over cell
> phones, adding that all who sent or forwarded the messages are bound
> to be prosecuted, until the originator of the message is found.
> I'm just concerned because I might have retweeted or even shared on
> facebook a post that could be categorised cromibal in nature.
> The quoted Communications Licensing Act, if it exists, really need to
> be availed so that we can have a look at it.
> And a just by the way, Robert Alai is alleged to operate the
> @KenyaPolice twitter account, is that a crime too, considering that
> there are online (Twitter mostly) parodies of Mwai Kibaki, Francis
> Atwoli, Alfred Mutua etc!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Solomon
> 
> On 23/08/2012, Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke> wrote:
>> Solomon & listers
>> 
>> I hate to say this but something like this was bound to happen sooner or
>> later to Robert.
>> 
>> There seems to be a belief that some bloggers cannot be held responsible for
>>   some of the toxic stuff they write online.  Beyond the act there are
>> still laws against abuse and its about time that we take responsibility for
>> what we do and not hide behind some obscure online credos that say you can
>> get away with anything you write online.
>> 
>> Me thinks that the same principals that apply offline should apply online.
>> For example if you abuse me offline there are laws against that. Why should
>> it be different online? After all shouldn't the same laws protect the one
>> being abused?
>> 
>> I know this may not be a popular thing to say right now but some one needs
>> to say it..
>> 
>> Ali Hussein
>> 
>> +254 773/713 601113
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone®
>> 
>> On Aug 23, 2012, at 8:38 AM, Solomon Mbũrũ Kamau <solo.mburu at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Listers,
>>> 
>>> Good morning,
>>> 
>>> I'm reading this story on Daily Nation,
>>> www.nation.co.ke/News/Blogger+denies+abusing+Mutua/-/1056/1485226/-/10imd12z/-/index.html#comment-626158953,
>>> and accorind to the charges, Alai violated the Communication Licencing
>>> Act.
>>> 
>>> My questions:
>>> 1. What exactly did he violate in the Act?
>>> 2. Where can one get (a soft copy of) the said Act?
>>> 3. Is this law same as the Kenya Communication (Amendment) Act?
>>> 
>>> Thanks
>>> 
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>>