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FECoMo Participates in Consultations on UN Global Principles for Information Integrity in Kenya

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Two weeks prior to the UN Summit of the Future taking place in New York, the National Coalition on Freedom of Expression and Content Moderation in Kenya (FECoMo) established under the UNESCO Social Media 4 Peace project, as well as other stakeholders, convened at the UN Office in Nairobi (UNON) for a follow-up discussion on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity and its applications to the local context. The group had previously met in December 2023 for an initial consultation on the Policy Brief: Information Integrity on Digital Platforms, part of the UN Secretary-General’s 2021 “Our Common Agenda“, which focused on the impacts of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech on global, and national sustainable development agendas.

In the opening session, Ms Misako Ito, UNESCO’s Regional Advisor for Communication and Information in Africa, provided an overview of the December 2023 expert consultation on the Voluntary Code of Conduct on Information Integrity on Digital Platforms. She highlighted the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation online and emphasized the need establishment , compliance by digital platforms, positive framing of the Code of Conduct in local contexts and fostering strong linkages to existing international frameworks like UNESCO’s Internet for Trust Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms. Ms Ito also reminded the importance of ensuring the Code’s sustainability through periodic reviews and updates.

The consultation was part of the series of expert consultations conducted by the UN Information Service aimed at shaping the development of the voluntary UN Code of Conduct for Information Integrity, now referred to as the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity.

Ms Misako Ito, UNESCO’s Regional Advisor for Communication and Information in Africa

The Global Principles were introduced to the participants in the following session by Ms Sandra Macharia, Director of the UN Information Service in Nairobi. These principles recommend actionable steps for various stakeholders including technology companies, AI actors, media organizations, researchers, civil society, governments, and the UN, across five key areas: societal trust and resilience; healthy incentives; public empowerment; independent, free and pluralistic media; and transparency and research.   

Ms Sandra Macharia, Director of the UN Information Service in Nairobi UNIS

“The United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity aim to empower people to demand their rights (…). At a time when billions of people are exposed to false narratives, distortions and lies, these principles lay out a clear path forward, firmly rooted in human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and opinion.” 

António Guterres, UN Secretary General

During plenary discussions, participants were invited to address the five areas of the recommendation by focusing on three questions: Are the Global Principles ambitious enough for their context? How can the recommended actions be applied within their sectors? What opportunities exist for measuring the impact of these actions? The discussions highlighted the transformative potential of the recommendations but stressed the need for local implementation, digital infrastructure development, youth empowerment, and stronger involvement of major tech companies in applying the principles. They also called for cross-sectoral cooperation, enhanced media independence, regular policy updates to keep pace with digital evolution, and integration of the principles into education, training, and research, particularly with an emphasis on youth engagement and the inclusion of offline populations. The operationalization of these principles was recognized as having the potential to accelerate local innovation, contributing to job creation and allowing increased impact measurement control.

Participants at the consultation on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity in Kenya UNIS and UNESCO

In the final session, Ms Sandra Macharia provided an overview of the Summit of the Future, describing it as a once-in-a-generation chance to rebuild trust and demonstrate the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling global challenges such as the stagnation of SDGs, climate change, and unchecked technological growth. The summit will involve the endorsement by world leaders of an inter-governmentally negotiated Pact for the Future, and its two annexes, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generation, based on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity.

In her closing remarks Ms Misako Ito reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to the promotion of access to information and combatting disinformation, with FECoMo continuing to lead these efforts through the Social Media 4 Peace project and by being engaged in global discussions shaping global frameworks and standards. As Ms Sandra Macharia stated in her closing remarks, global issues can only be addressed with global solutions, which requires a commitment to international cooperation, the enhancement of intersectoral partnerships, and the continuous engagement of all in these discussions.

As discussions on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity advance, FECoMo seeks to play a crucial role in Kenya by strengthening cross-sectoral partnerships, enhancing digital platform governance, and promoting media and information literacy. FECoMo will advocate for integrating these principles into national policies and promoting media and information literacy competencies within local communities and society at large, helping to create a more secure and inclusive digital environment in Kenya.

Strengthening Design Governance for Safer Online Spaces in Kenya: Insights from DataFest Africa 2024

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In an era where digital platforms dominate our daily interactions, ensuring safe and inclusive online spaces is paramount. At the forefront of this is user empowerment through capacity development and creating awareness. Datafest Africa 2024 hosted a transformative two-day workshop titled “Strengthening Design Governance for Safer Online Spaces in Kenya” to address this critical issue. This workshop, a collaborative effort by Ushahidi, Pollicy, UNESCO and FECoMo Kenya, aimed to equip participants with actionable toolkits for design governance and regulatory compliance tailored to the Kenyan context.

Reuben Kihiu and Wangu Mwenda from Ushahidi facilitated the 2-day workshop, held at Aga Khan University. Ushahidi is a Kenyan-founded nonprofit with a 16-year track record in digital public good(DPG) initiatives. It brought together a diverse group of participants including designers, developers, legal experts and tech enthusiasts.

The workshop was conducted in person and consisted of facilitator-led sessions and group activities. The first day of the workshop highlighted the challenges digital platforms face today, such as misinformation, ideological polarization and the lack of transparency and accountability. A lack of African contextualization of software was spotlighted. A multistakeholder approach was emphasized as crucial for effective digital governance. Recommendations brought forth included collaborative governance, inclusion of diverse stakeholders especially vulnerable groups, institutionalizing checks and balances and promoting cultural diversity.

  1. Balancing Freedom of Expression with Content Moderation in Reference to Article 33 of the Kenyan Constitution

Participants explored the delicate balance between upholding freedom of expression and implementing content moderation strategies on digital platforms. Recommendations included the development of content moderation tools that can accurately process and understand local languages and dialects. This would help in the detection and mitigation of harmful content without infringing on users’ rights to free expression. The importance of incorporating fact-checking mechanisms was emphasized to combat misinformation and disinformation while preserving the integrity of information shared online.

  1. Ensuring Non-Discrimination in Content Moderation in Reference to Article 27 of the Kenyan Constitution

In discussions around non-discrimination, the focus was on creating inclusive digital spaces that respect diversity. This involved the development of AI language models that support a wide range of local languages and dialects, ensuring that content moderation does not inadvertently marginalize certain groups. Participants also highlighted the need for platforms to contextualize user personas by considering different age groups, making sure that content and interactions are appropriate for all users, regardless of their background or identity.

  1. Protecting Consumers through Content Moderation in Reference to Consumer Protection Guidelines-Competitive Authority of Kenya(2017)

Protecting consumers in digital spaces was a key concern, with recommendations focusing on ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of online marketplaces. Participants suggested thorough vetting of prospective merchants to maintain a reliable marketplace environment. Additionally, they advocated for the use of technologies like computer vision and machine learning to verify the authenticity and quality of products sold online. The idea of allowing third-party social proof through reviews and endorsements was also proposed to enhance credibility and reliability in online transactions.

  1. Protecting Children in Digital Spaces in Reference to Article 53 of the Kenyan Consitution 

The protection of children online was discussed with a focus on ensuring access to age-appropriate content. Participants recommended the enforcement of rigorous age verification methods, such as requiring users to upload IDs or selfies to confirm their age. They also emphasized the importance of establishing strict digital boundaries between adults and children on co-shared platforms, to prevent exposure to inappropriate content and interactions. This was seen as crucial in creating a safer digital environment for younger users.

Participants created user personas to identify the motivations, frustrations and skill levels of hypothetical users. This brought about clear statements reflecting user needs and challenges. Participants then brainstormed UI/UX solutions addressing specific user frustrations. Ideas ranged from the use of different servers in online games depending on user age to colour-sensitive websites for differently-abled persons. Teams presented their UI prototypes and received peer and expert feedback, fostering an environment of constructive critique and collaborative improvement.

The workshop effectively equipped participants with a thorough grasp of the legal limitations in content moderation and promoting a user-oriented approach to addressing issues within their unique contexts. A key outcome of the workshop was emphasis on the need to leverage the potential for establishing secure online environments in Kenya that honour and safeguard the rights of all users.

After the workshop, participants expressed a deepened understanding of the importance of an inclusive design and development process. They emphasized how critical it is to create digital products that are not only secure but also accessible and equitable for all users. This realization underscored their commitment to ensuring that future digital platforms are both safe and inclusive, catering to the diverse needs of all communities.

Kenya’s First Youth Multimedia Room

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This World Press Freedom Day, 11 young climate reporters form the first ever Kenya Youth Multimedia Room to #StandwithPressFreedom amidst the current climate crisis. Composed of climate journalists, storytellers, content creators, filmmakers, entrepreneurs and radio presenters, the Youth Multimedia Room aims to cover Kenya’s national celebrations and amplify #WPFD2024’s call to protect freedom of environmental journalists.

In Kenya, the celebrations take place at the Edge Convention Centre, organized by the Media Council of Kenya in close partnership with UNESCO.

The youth reporters join us from all walks of life and all parts of Kenya. Zamzam Bonayo (centre) and her brother, Hussein Bonayo (left), have travelled 8 hours by bus from Marsabit, a county in Northern Kenya, to be part of this press movement for the planet. At their organisation, Northern Vision, Zamzam and her brother weave storytelling and climate activism to cultivate peace, resilience and hope in marginalized communities to aspire for a just and sustainable future.

Linah Mbeyu Mohamed is a journalist with a cause: she wants to show that persons with disability are limitless when given an opportunity in society. As part of the Youth Multimedia Room, she keenly collects audio interviews and collaborates with other youth reporters to co-create quality coverage of the event and related issues.

Next to her, Kamadi Amata from Mtaani Radio represents the community media fraternity as a Radio Editor and popular morning show host. Previously, Kamadi led a radio campaign to sensitive communities to the importance of building ‘Amani’ (peace) online under UNESCO’s Social Media 4 Peace project. Today, he is here to raise his community’s awareness on the importance of a free press to combatting climate mis- and disinformation.

Members of the National Coalition on Freedom of Expression and Content Moderation in Kenya (FECoMo) are also present at the conference. Dr. Ruth Owino (Kabarak University) and Susan Wafula (National Council for Persons with Disability) call for the press to address and report on the climate crisis with intention and urgency.

FECoMo’s capable advocacy leads are also on the ground as Youth Multimedia Room coordinators. Immaculate Onyango (National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management) steers the Youth Multimedia’s Rooms operations. She hustles around all day, coordinating videography ad interview requests and making connections between Youth Reporters to foster content collaborations.

Viola Konji (Pwani Teknowgalz) (right) is another FECoMo associate co-coordinating the newsroom. While not posting messages and photos to FECoMo socials, she also looks after the well-being of the Youth Newsroom. Next to her, foreign policy analyst and medical practitioner Tevivona Ayien is exploring the nexus between health and the environment at this year’s climate-focused conference.

The Youth Multimedia Room reporters work around the clock to ensure strong coverage of #WPFD2024 messages. Nelson Juma (in blue) is at work collecting perspectives with a tripod and camera at hand. As a filmmaker with 8 years of directing, cinematography, producing, and editing under his belt, Nelson’s expertise supports the Youth Multimedia Room in ensuring that #PressFreedom narratives are captured and curated for a wider audience. Photographs featured in this photo journal essay are taken by Nelson.

This inaugural Kenya Youth Multimedia Room mirrors a long-standing global initiative at the Global UNESCO World Press Freedom Day Conference. Each year, young journalists from across the world are identified to be a part of UNESCO Global Youth Newsroom (renamed ‘Multimedia Room’ to reflect today’s diverse media landscape), where they are trained and supported to produce engaging coverage on UNESCO’s WPFD Celebrations.

2024 also marks the first time that Kenya is represented at the global UNESCO Youth Multimedia Room. Attending the conference in Santiago, Chile are Shampi Ana (left) and Sylvia Adongo (2nd from right), who join the UNESCO Youth Multimedia Room as representatives from Kenya’s Social Media 4 Peace project.

Amidst the current information and climate crisis, the UNESCO Youth Multimedia Rooms—both in Kenya and globally—reflect the energy, creativity, and collaborative spirit that young people bring to combat the climate crisis in a digital age.

Learn more about the youth climate media champions of Kenya’s first Youth Multimedia Room below:

Trust the People: Community Networks Approach to Fight Disinformation

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Community networks are local community-led initiatives to govern and operate a network infrastructure for digital communication. In many cases, community networks are built to address connectivity needs in places that the market or government efforts have yet to reach. These can be rural and remote areas with low population density, or informal urban settlements – places where establishing a connectivity infrastructure is not profitable for traditional telecom service providers, or where the costs of such services are disproportionately high. In other cases, community networks are built in areas with existing commercial networks as an affordable alternative to traditional service providers. They have proven beneficial for bridging the digital divide and extending opportunities to those who would otherwise never access them. 

Tanda Community Network (Tanda CN), is a community network based in Kibera an informal settlement in Kenya. Tanda provides internet infrastructure that permeates through Kibera slums which has enabled schools, hospitals, and activist groups to access the internet. The network has over 100 nodes, covering all the thirteen (13) villages in Kibera.

While access is crucial, Tanda CN recognizes the challenges that arise after initial access is established. Ensuring meaningful internet access for users in the community is also important. Tanda Community Networks goes beyond providing the infrastructure to understanding community needs and co-designing appropriate solutions,  providing digital literacy, and promoting local content and services that benefit the community’s socio-economic activities.

It is equally important to ensure reliable information is readily available and equip communities with the tools to navigate the digital landscape effectively.  To better capture the variety of problems grassroot communities face when expressing their views and opinions, Tanda CN,  UNESCO and DW Akademie co-organised  a series of workshops with diverse community groups including grassroot human rights defenders, community media and community networks to explore disinformation, its manifestation, the community lived experiences and gender approaches in tackling disinformation. 

Disinformation: A Growing Threat

These in-depth workshops pointed to the fact that disinformation, the spread of false or misleading information, can have a devastating impact on communities.  It can take many forms, from fabricated stories and manipulated content to weaponized narratives about gender roles. These tactics can sow discord, erode trust, silence voices, and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. This is especially true of gendered disinformation, used as an excuse to limit expression that is legitimate or legally protected – including expression on gender-related issues. It can manifest in various ways, from online harassment targeting leaders ie politicians, HRDs, and journalists to the spread of rumours that reinforce traditional gender roles. At the same time, it can amount to incitement to hatred, discrimination and even violence which undermines the progress made towards gender equality. 

The workshop highlighted the critical role that grassroots Communities play in tackling disinformation. Here are some key takeaways:

  • Raising awareness about disinformation can no longer be a luxury reserved for high-level discussions. We need to empower people at the grassroots level – the very foundation of our society – to be critical consumers of information. By educating them on how to identify fake news, fact-check information, and promote media literacy, we can equip them with the tools to fight the spread of disinformation and build a more informed and resilient society
  • There is a necessity of providing easy access to reliable fact-checking resources for community members to verify information eg supporting the development of community-driven fact-checking efforts that address local issues and narratives,
  • Recognizing the need for a safety net, the workshops emphasized the importance of establishing support systems for victims of online harassment and gender-based violence. These support structures could include access to legal aid, healthcare services, and safe spaces
  • The fight against disinformation requires a multi-pronged approach. Collective action fosters a more robust information ecosystem and empowers communities to become active agents in the fight against disinformation. Community networks, Community media and HRDS  with their deep understanding of local audiences,  and expertise in human rights advocacy play a crucial role in identifying and dismantling harmful narratives, disseminating fact-checked information and countering the spread of gendered disinformation. 

The future of a healthy online environment lies in empowering communities. At Tanda CNs, we are committed to creating a more just and equitable digital space for all. We believe that by working together, we can create a future where accurate information empowers, not deceives.

Trust the People: Community-based and Gender-Transformative Approaches to Fight Disinformation.

Written by Risper Arose – Tanda Community Networks