Cyber Law and Policy

Data Governance Research Centre

Cyrilla Collaborative – Database on Digital Rights

Period: 2019 -2020

Partner: SOCIAL MEDIA EXCHANGE (SMEX)

About the project

This project will advance the goal of promoting fundamental freedoms, human rights, and the free flow of information online. This will be achieved by supporting more consistent and formalized coordination among leading digital rights legislation and case documentation initiatives, amplifying awareness and maximizing impact of applied research and advocacy in defense of digital rights at local, regional, and global levels.

The Cyrilla Consortium seeks to expand and amplify responsive, evidence-based Internet Freedom legal and policy advocacy in the Global South, through coordinated approaches to systematizing digital rights law and case documentation, thereby simplifying access and application of verified legislative, case and policy data affecting citizens’ digital rights.

Legal, Policy and Technical Forms of Information Controls

Period: 2018-2019

Partner: Ford Foundation

About the project

An analysis of Internet Shutdowns and the Electoral Process in Kenya.  The project aimed to research on internet freedoms in Kenya to bring a deeper understanding of information controls during political processes and how this affects public policy on elections, freedom of expression and human rights in general.

Output

The Nature of information controls during electoral processes: The case of Kenya 2017 and Zimbabwe 2018 elections

Read report >> https://www.cipit.org/images/downloads/The-Nature-of-Information-Controls—CIPIT.pdf

Security On Our Own Terms – Developing Global South Leaders In The Fields Of Cybersecurity

Period: 2018-2019

Partner: PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL

About this project

The goal of the project was to build a global privacy movement of civil society organisations by equipping them with the expertise, skills and resources to advocate for the highest privacy and security safeguards in law, policy and technology and ensuring they can do so in a safe, open and conducive environment built on the respect of rule of law, transparency and accountability.

The specific objectives of the project were:

1. To produce stronger evidence base to support national and regional advocacy work with partners, documenting the legislative and technical development of the cyber security landscape, of both States and the private sector, and the implications for the security of individuals.
2. To create the cybersecurity debate we want by advocating for better legal, policy and tech safeguards in accordance with the positions and standards we have articulated.
3. To strengthen targeted organisations so that they are in control of their organisational networks, are able to respond to contextual changes (socio- economic and political), and are prepared to implement the necessary mitigation strategies.

Output

Proportionality of security limitations on privacy: A checklist for legislative drafting & interpretation in Kenya.

Read report>> https://www.cipit.org/images/downloads/Proportionality-of-secuirty-limitations-in-Kenya–A-checklist.pdf

PERIOD: 2017-2018

PARTNER: PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL 

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project sort to build a global privacy movement of civil society organisations by equipping them with the expertise, skills and resources to advocate for the highest privacy and security safeguards in law, policy and technology and ensuring they can do so in a safe, open and conducive environment built on the respect of rule of law, transparency and accountability.

PROJECT OUTPUTS   

The project generated a policy paper on “Biometrics and Elections” with the objective of bringing forth the need to incorporate privacy considerations in the technology adoption design in a political process like elections. This was disseminated to elections and its related policy community in Kenya, including but not limited to the electoral management and oversight bodies, public procurement and disposal bodies, Information and Communication Technology Community (ICT), human rights groups, the media and the relevant business community.

The report:

Biometric technology, elections, and privacy: Investigating privacy implications of biometric voter registration in Kenya’s 2017 Election Process.

Read Full Report here >> (PDF)

Socio-economic Impact Of Intentional Disruption Of Internet Connectivity In Africa

Period: 2017-2018

Partner: Facebook

About the project

The project focused one main question; What is the socio-economic impact of Internet disruptions in African countries?

To answer this question, the study looked at the relationship between Internet access and economic growth, the nature of disruptions to Internet access in the region and attempt a quantification of estimates of various forms of disruptions. This research challenged the exclusive reliance on (Gross Domestic Product) GDP to compute economic costs from Internet shutdowns due to the limited nature of GDP in capturing unregulated economic activities that form a significant proportion of the African societies. It proposes extending GDP to include the shadow-economy estimates in the valuation of contribution of Internet access to a country. It is expected the project outcomes will contribute evidence to public policy on the Internet and economic outcomes of a country and the attendant social effects.

These research answered the following questions:

• What is the relationship between Internet access and economic production in African economies?
• What is the nature of Internet disruptions experienced in the African region in the last 24 months?
• How can we estimate the cost of Internet disruptions to African economies?
• What are the non-economic effects of an Internet disruption?
• From the foregoing, what recommendations can be made on policy and research fronts?

Output

Intentional Internet disruptions in Africa: Estimating impact in observable and shadow economies. Read Full Report here >>Access Link