<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">This is an interesting
discussion even from the perspective of history. When technologies are new, the
potential to confuse or confound users are well documented. One classic example
is from radio, when a dramatized fictional piece about an invasion from Mars
was aired on American radio in the late 1930s. Dramatic sound effects and other
storytelling techniques via the new medium caused widespread panic. Today, audiences
have a much greater understanding – and appreciation – for radio drama.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">There are other
examples from other technologies, such as laugh tracks on television which
sound like audiences laughing at the jokes being said by a character. That is
essentially ‘fake laughter,’ but is designed to get real audiences to laugh
along and engage with the characters.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">My point is that new
technologies enable ‘fake’ activities, but it is users who finally attain a
literacy concerning those activities and learn how to deal with them. The big
buzz about fake news has made many people a lot more conscious and skeptical of
what they consume or pass on via social media and other platforms. Various
campaigns and organizations are turning fake news debunking into a new industry
with multiple players reaching out to news media and academia to act as
collaborative partners. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">As an academic, I
think part of our job in our training institutions is to expose our students to:<span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="">-<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>being more
critical/skeptical about what they consume on various media<span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="">-<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>being more
responsible about what they share/forward in their own media networks<span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="">-<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>understanding
that ‘media’ no longer means a random big company out there with radio, TV, and
print outlets. But instead ‘media’ is all those, plus we ourselves.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That said, @Ali makes important
points on regulation that I largely agree with. But I’d say even as we discuss
regulation, there should be a discussion about responsibility. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Many media houses
subscribe to some form of social responsibility. Before calling someone a thief
for example, they’ll claim to get the facts and even then, refer to the ‘alleged’
crime leaving the justice system to declare whether someone is a thief or not. Without
those checks, the media would be engaging in defamation, which is a legal
problem. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps before moving
to add yet more laws and regulations to aspects of digital technologies, we
should educate users/consumers more about greater responsibility in their online activities even as they are
informed about legal penalties. <span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Wambui</p></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 3:38 PM, Adam Lane via kictanet <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="m_-5862781302531631883WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Indeed, the issue of real-name social media accounts. Personally I support such a thing, but I am aware that others do not (i.e. they want to allow people to
post anonymously in fear of retribution of posting something that may be true but critical against someone powerful). There is a balance to be struck.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">But also, people who repeat/resend/republish should not do so unless they know the originator or trust it’s source. Unfortunately consumer education on this is
very difficult (same for issues around responsible online gambling etc) and whilst we should still look at effective ways to do that (massive newspaper, TV and radio headlines about the risk of being fined for spreading fake news may be effective!!), we may
need to look at other options too.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> kictanet [mailto:<a href="mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Badam.lane" target="_blank">kictanet-bounces+adam.<wbr>lane</a>=<a href="mailto:huawei.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">huawei.com@lists.<wbr>kictanet.or.ke</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Brian Munyao Longwe via kictanet<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 18, 2017 3:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Adam Lane <<a href="mailto:adam.lane@huawei.com" target="_blank">adam.lane@huawei.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Brian Munyao Longwe <<a href="mailto:blongwe@gmail.com" target="_blank">blongwe@gmail.com</a>></span></p><div><div class="h5"><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] Talk to NCIC Day 3: Government Regulation of Fake News<u></u><u></u></div></div><p></p><div><div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately the originators of fake news tend to use pseudonyms or fake identities to mask their true identities. IMHO these are the real culprits; people who repeat/resend/republish the fake news might actually have been duped into believing
that it is authentic. How then does one go about catching/pinpointing the bad guys/gals?<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 2:07 PM, Adam Lane via kictanet <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><wbr>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #cccccc 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">I think that IF there is to be a civil crime/penalty for such an act there should be a distinction made between the creators of false, misleading or fictitious data and those who
spread it (creating it should incur a greater penalty than spreading it). </span>
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Certainly IF this is the case, then a deterrence for those spreading the news will ensure people do read, research and assess before spreading, and this is important. Too many people
not only are not assessing such news but are spreading it, and because others may trust them, the news is inherently trusted by the reader; whereas if the reader was sent the news from an unrelated person they would have more suspicion towards the news. Such
a deterrence would be a good thing.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">IF this bill becomes an act, it will be interesting to see how it will be enforced. It would be fairly simple to set-up a reporting mechanism but harder to ensure fines are paid (though
such fines would cover the costs of any monitoring mechanism; it may be useful to have a set standard for fines to ensure prompt and fair action, just like traffic offenses).
</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">The issue of real-name social media accounts, linking accounts to sim cards etc would be thorny; let alone the mechanisms to collect fines in such large numbers.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Is there a way that one does not need a fine, instead individuals may value their personal reputation enough to not forward fake news? If we constantly forward fake news (and if it
is recognized as such at some point), don’t we lose our social capital, and thus limit this behavior? Just like in the offline world… if we value our reputations?</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> kictanet [mailto:<a href="mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Badam.lane" target="_blank">kictanet-bounces+adam.<wbr>lane</a>=<a href="mailto:huawei.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">huawei.com@lists.<wbr>kictanet.or.ke</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>kanini mutemi via kictanet<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 18, 2017 2:27 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Adam Lane <<a href="mailto:adam.lane@huawei.com" target="_blank">adam.lane@huawei.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> kanini mutemi <<a href="mailto:kaninimutemi@gmail.com" target="_blank">kaninimutemi@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] Talk to NCIC Day 3: Government Regulation of Fake News</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">I have attached a copy of the
<b>Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017 </b>published on 13th June, 2017. Clause 12 reads:</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">'A person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with intent that the data shall be considered
or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.'</span></i></b><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Is there a drawback to this approach?
</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><br>
-- </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Mercy Mutemi</span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">.
</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>
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