[kictanet] Net neutrality 'first world' problem?

[Mwendwa Kivuva]

Dr. Waudo,

"I attack ideas, I don't attack people - and some very good people
have some very bad ideas" - Antonin Scalia


Allowing people to break the Internet is the slippery road. Allowing
others to break the Internet for the developing world is like saying;
"we should use second hand, we are second rate citizens, for us
anything goes. We can take anything. Hell we are poor, we are beggars.
Please give us crumbs".

When will developing countries start asserting themselves? You know
what, countries that believe in the best for themselves in the end
becomes outliers. These are the little differences that after a long
while separates the masters from the slaves.

Imagine two digital natives, one born in North America with access to
the Internet, and the second born in Africa with access to just a few
services of the Internet. After 20 years, they meet in the corporate
scenes. How will they compete? This was illustrated very clearly
thousands of years ago by Plato in the "Allegory of the cave".

The narrative should be " We deserve the best, we are rich both in
spirit and ideologies, we will go for the best, we deserve the best".
After that we find solutions to getting what we deserve. Let us not
settle for less. Remember, as Voltaire said, no problem can withstand
the assault of sustained thinking

The argument that a little few websites are better than non is a non
starter.


Sincerely

On 27/02/2016, Ali Hussein via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> Liz
>
> Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I think that notion is too simplistic. Net
> Neutrality is not only a first world problem. And comparing it with bread
> and other foods is basically missing the point.
>
> Let's address it from an infrastructure point of view. Firstly the Internet
> is now so critical that this Balkanization that is happening is
> discriminatory. The likes of the Internet Giants who dole out a walled
> garden form of Internet access have zero motive for the good of the African
> people - they are after eyeballs. Plain and simple.  Eyeballs mean money.
>
> Secondly, the government has a responsibility to make the Internet
> affordable, and to make access free in marginalized areas and communities.
> That's why we have the Universal Access Fund.
>
> Thirdly, to say that Net Neutrality is a first world problem is to rubbish
> all the startups that are struggling to build content in Africa. They surely
> don't have the muscle of Google or Facebook to dole out 'Free Access'.  And
> if we allow this to happen they will have a snowball in hell getting their
> content read.
>
> Our CS is quoted as saying:-
>
> It’s like saying someone has no food, but if someone brings them bread we
> are not going to allow them to have the bread because they must have a
> balanced diet,” he said. “I don’t think that works for me.”
>
> I'll compare this statement with access to roads. So if we don't have access
> to roads we should accept potholed ones? Granted we may not have a choice
> but to use the potholed ones (as is the case). However it sure doesn't make
> it right! Someone is dropping the ball and they must be made accountable.
>
> One thing I'll concede is that Net Neutrality as defined by the first world
> is just not workable here. That's why we must define Net Neutrality from an
> African perspective.
>
> A National Forum is long overdue.
>
> Ali Hussein
> Principal
> Hussein & Associates
> +254 0713 601113 / 0770906375
>
> Twitter: @AliHKassim
> Skype: abu-jomo
> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>
>
> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what
> no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On 26 Feb 2016, at 9:43 PM, Liz Orembo via kictanet
>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Interesting read.
>>
>> http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-02-24-africa-internet-access-more-important-for-africa-than-net-neutrality-which-is-a-first-world-problem/
>>
>> --
>>
>> Best regards.
>> Liz.
>>
>> PGP ID: 0x1F3488BF
>> _______________________________________________
>> kictanet mailing list
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>
>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
>>
>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>>
>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>


-- 
______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
twitter.com/lordmwesh