Session
Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet)
Cherie Oyier, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
Nicodemus Nyakundi, KICTANet NGO, Kenya
Linda Gichoi, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
Florence Awino, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
Cherie Oyier, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
Nicodemus Nyakundi, KICTANet NGO, Kenya
Linda Gichoi, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
Florence Awino, KICTANet, NGO, Kenya
10. Reduced Inequalities
Targets: Worldcoin's operations targeted countries in the global south mainly due to the economic vulnerabilities of the people in those countries. Hence, despite the fact that the people in countries such as Kenya are too poor and unaware to engage with the cryptocurrency arm of Worldcoin, the people were willing to surrender their very sensitive personal data in exchange for money tokens of about Kshs. 7,000. The focus of Worldcoin's operations in countries in the global south point to discrimination based on the unequal economies in these countries as compared to most countries in the global north.
Classroom
Introduction of speakers - 5 minutes
Power point presentation of findings- 15 minutes
Discussion of some of the key points by speakers- 30 minutes
Question and answer session- 10 minutes
Following a grant by Mozilla, to conduct a research titled "Deceptive Designs and Policy Holes Aiding Unethical Personal Data Collection for AI Training: Lessons from Worldcoin’s Iris Scan Practices in Kenya", the research is complete and will be published in this June. This research project uncovers among other things, non-compliance with existing privacy laws and the impact of lack of coordination among different stakeholders in Kenya including regulators in the ICT sector. As result Worldcoin, a company that doubles up in cryptocurrency and universal digital ID, was able to set-up in Kenya and collect sensitive personal data including iris scans without complying with existing data protection laws. This session will discuss the findings regarding the disorganisation among regulators, government ministries, private sector players and even the public immediately after the story of Worldcoin's operations broke in Kenya and the resultant human impact of these uncoordinated strategies on vulnerable Kenyans including youth, low-income earners and those with low digital literacy skills.
On the brighter side, we shall also share lessons drawn from the work of the Ad hoc committee established by the parliament of Kenya to investigate the operations of Worldcoin. Through the engagement of stakeholders from different sectors, the committee was able to come up with recommendations that promote innovation while still protecting vulnerable Kenyans.
This session be an opportunity to share our findings and also share recommendations that will contribute to development of ethical AI principles that mirror the values and needs of Africans. In a world where technology is ever evolving, it is imperative that all stakeholders uphold their roles and work together so as to ensure that technologies being developed and deployed are safe for the masses.
Hybrid meeting