Advances in technology often times meet Africa at the end of the chain. Discussions and policy on how to regulate these novelties are essentially directed and coordinated from the Big Capitals- Washington, London, Paris and increasingly Beijing. Initiative and drive in adopting technology is largely a private matter and the accompanying rules for the use of technology is well, negligible unless there is some money to be had by governments in Africa. The dynamics then change significantly.
The Privilege of Internet Communication
Recently, Uganda levied a charge on social media use in the country as a way of "curbing gossip and generating revenue". Tanzania and other African governments have made attempts of regulating social media use as well.
Google and Facebook are yet to be fully understood for what they really are. In Africa, there is bewilderment bordering on reverence stemming from how Facebook, Google and the other social media platforms operate. Why would anyone create such a wonderful thing like Google where you can easily access all sorts of information and not charge a fee? If you were to visit the local library, you would have to put in a few cents to use the facility, yet Google brings similar and wider information to you for free. In Africa, this is a big conundrum. Some even joke about their reliance on Facebook, Google and Whatsapp and how they think, they're causing these tech giants major loses for using their services all the time for free.
The User is the Product
Interestingly, these same tech platforms are carrying the information across, that the user is the product. The understanding is seeping in that the harvesting and sale of the data of users is a major way these tech companies make money. The furore which surrounded the Cambridge Analytica scandal has drawn a lot of attention to this facet of doing business with these tech giants.
African Net Neutrality and the Freedom Value
While personal privacy online is a concern for people in the more developed countries of the world, in a number of African countries they take on a significant garb. In less free African countries, people go to great lengths to protect themselves and their communication online since a lapse in this may very well mean a lot of trouble for them.
Indeed, a major feature of quelling civil unrest and general dissension in Africa is the selective or blanket blockade of internet access among the populace. Some websites and online resources are restricted by governments with the cooperation of the mobile telecommunication networks and internet service providers. Net neutrality may be a raging debate in the US but in Africa, it has peculiar importance. Any moves by the governments of the West especially the US government to kill net neutrality would be immediately taken advantage of, and access to information the authorities find unpleasant, would ultimately become more expensive, tedious or simply inaccessible than it already is.
While zero rating is presumably a good thing for Africa since it is essentially available with little or no data, it's positive character is clearly neutralized when one juxtaposes the very rich harvest of data and personal information mined from these unwitting users.
Does Facebook for instance guarantee access for "free", because of the wealth of data it gets pro bono?
Yes. It seems that's the motivation.
The more enlightened internet users in Africa become, the more the realisation hits home that a decentralised and free internet outside of the control of government and corporate interests is essential to reap more fully the benefits of the internet without sacrificing privacy and accessibility.
Decenternet- Advocate and Solution
There are many campaigners for different causes in Africa but there is not a single authoritative advocate for internet freedom in Africa. Decenternet may very well be that advocate and solution.
Decenternet is arguably one of the best steps to achieving an eternal open internet. Decenternet has been described as an alternative P2P permanent hyperspeed neutral decentralized internet infrastructure platform solution unbound by politics and oppression. Once Dnet (short form of Decenternet ) is out, it can’t be stopped from spreading. It is cheaper, much faster, proliferates net neutrality, protects your privacy and removes the influence of corrupt intermediaries without having to ask for permission from any central organization.
With Decenternet access to different websites and fora devoid of meddling in connections and internet activity is the goal. Frantic efforts to get internet speeds up due to deliberate interference by ISPs and governments are a thing of the past with the advent of Decenternet. The plethora of VPNs can be discarded in the face of Decenternet. Decenternet is your single infinite VPN. No renewals and delays expected.
Indeed, net neutrality and all corporate and government attempts to control, meddle, block, promote content online is of little or no consequence.
This revolutionary idea is already being worked on. However, your opinion and thoughts are definitely welcome.
Please do get in touch through the comments. Let's hear you.