Can the social contract theory justify data rights violations? A review of South Africa’s contact tracing regulations
Publications
13 June 2020
We are slowly becoming aware of the proliferation of our data by different companies and entities across different sectors due to a data “spillage” as we access the digital conveniences and necessities of the world that we live in today.
These companies and entities range from advertising, insurance, banking, and even government sectors. Companies and entities that have a significant influence on our…
The “forgotten constituency”: Making a case for digital rights for prisoners in Zimbabwe during and beyond COVID-19
Publications
13 June 2020
The evolution of digital communications technology has changed our societies, many of our institutions and the way we live in profound ways. Internet access is now viewed as a basic requirement for many in society. Information on health, education, science, sports, etc. is now easily accessible on the internet. In some developed countries, public administration and bureaucratic communication have gone paperless.…
Digital divisions: COVID-19 policy and practice and the digital divide in Africa
Publications
12 June 2020
The sudden and dramatic advent of the COVID-19 global pandemic caught the world by surprise and left many floundering for responses, none more so than those in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector: the policy makers, regulators and internet and other ICT service providers. It was a few short weeks from the first reports of a strange new respiratory illness in faraway Wuhan (December 2019),…
Data protection in the age of technology-based disease surveillance
Publications
11 June 2020
Principle 8 of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms provides for the right to online privacy, including the protection of every person’s personal data. Such a right and such protection have become necessary because of the uses of personal data and data in general. It used to be that a person’s personal space was limited. However, emerging technologies have allowed for entities to make use of…
Launch Statement: AfDec COVID-19 Position Paper
Statements/Press releases
09 June 2020
The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition is pleased to announce the launch of its Position paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which consolidates Coalition members’ assessment of, and positions on, the promotion, protection and exercise of human rights online in the context of COVID-19. The Coalition takes the firm view that internet rights and freedoms are more important…
African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms COVID-19 Position Paper
Publications
09 June 2020
This position paper is informed by monitoring conducted by the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition of developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Various measures adopted by states and other relevant stakeholders have had a direct impact on the enjoyment of rights online. This position paper consolidates the Coalition members’ assessment of, and positions on, the protection,…