Category: Document Repository

DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY OR DIGITAL COLONIALISM?

By Renata Ávila Pinto

Beyond tensions of privacy and security, we are witnessing today a real confrontation between control and freedom, not only of the individual, but of entire populations and regions, enhanced by technologies and massive collection and analysis of data – from predicting and influencing
behaviours, to the automation of public services and the ability to fully control and disrupt those services, even remotely. From gaining access to a global communications platform to losing the ability to protect the rights of those who are interconnected through those platforms. Are we witnessing a new form of digital colonialism?

This article focuses on regional, national, and community solutions to restore control and ownership on key information and communications infrastructures – the only possible first step to fix the current massive violation of privacy rights. It will later suggest some local measures to experiment with and advance alternatives at different levels of intervention and action, including proactive policy, capacity building, and new designs inspired in a set of values and principles different from those of the dominant actors in the market.

DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY OR DIGITAL COLONIALISMDownload

Digital Colonialism: South Africa’s Education Transformation in the Shadow of Silicon Valley

This dissertation investigates the societal implications of technology choices for the emerging e-education transformation of the South African basic education sector. In October 2015, then President Jacob Zuma launched Operation Phakisa Education (OPE), an initiative designed behind closed doors
to fast-track digital education into all South African public schools. This study identifies and analyzes policy choices and perspectives regarding the technology considered and deployed for the national e-education rollout. It documents the OPE proposal, and examines how e-education policy choices relate to humanitarian objectives. See

Digital Colonisation South AfricaDownload

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
of
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
RHODES UNIVERSITY
by
Michael Kwet
March 2019

The European Commission adopts its new Open Source Software Strategy 2020-2023

The strategy recognises the importance of collaboration across the Commission, with Member States, companies and the public at large for building new, innovative digital solutions that work across borders and towards technological sovereignty.

“The new open source software strategy is a practical instrument for the digital transformation of the Commission. It is also an important enabler for innovation that will equip us with the knowledge to create a better and even more inclusive digital environment within and beyond our organisation.’’ said Mario Campolargo, acting Director-General of DG Informatics.

See https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/european-commission-adopts-new-open-source-software-strategy-2020-2023-2020-oct-20_en

#technology #opensource #EU

European Commission Open Source Strategy 2020-2023Download

A Fresh Look at FOSS Policy Failure in the SA Government

A presentation by Dr Derek W. Keats on an ecosystem approach to FOSS policy failure in the South African government. Watch at https://youtu.be/1bUMnpAgwK0 or click below.

An ecosystem approach to FOSS policy failure in the South African government

SITA braves open source – ITweb 11 June 2008

The State IT Agency (SITA) is transferring its entire technology infrastructure to free, open source and open standards software (FOSS).

SITA CEO Llewellyn Jones says the organisation hopes to complete this process within the next four to five months.

“We are doing a lot around FOSS within our organisation. In terms of our back-end environment, we are already using open source to a large extent. Now we are focusing on our user environment; open source offerings are just as good as – and sometimes even better than – their proprietary competitors,” he explains.

The organisation’s chief information officer, Eghshaan Khan, says this is a positive move for SITA, but admits he has some concerns.

“This movement proves again that open source or FOSS is not a myth. We embrace the principles of FOSS: interoperability, building communities and sharing. The one concern I have though is change management. We are confident the software portfolio we have chosen is just as good, if not better, than what our people have been working on; but, they need to discover this for themselves in order to buy into the project,” he explains.

SITA has chosen Ubuntu for its desktop operating environment. Running on top of this will be open office, as well as several other FOSS applications, aimed at improving SITA’s collaborative and engagement environments.

SITA’s transition to FOSS is seen as an important step in its promotion of open standards to government departments.

Jones explains: “How can we encourage our customers to adopt FOSS when we ourselves are not far enough advanced with our transition? Yes, we have seen Cabinet adopt an open source policy; but our responsibility is to be a proof point to our public sector customers.”

Despite government’s policy on FOSS, Jones says the agency has received mixed reactions from its customers on adopting open source software.

“The question is always going to be around comfort levels and interoperability concerns. Some departments already have strong open source philosophies, like Home Affairs, while others would rather delay as long as possible.”

From https://www.itweb.co.za/content/O2rQGMA54XXMd1ea

South African National Cabinet Statement Approving Open Source Software Policy and Strategy for Government – 21 Feb 2007

From https://www.gcis.gov.za/content/newsroom/media-releases/cabinet-statements/statement-cabinet-meeting-21-february-2007

“Cabinet approved a policy and strategy for the implementation of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in government. All new software developed for or by the Government will be based on open standards and government will itself migrate current software to FOSS. This strategy will, among other things, lower administration costs and enhance local Information Technology (IT) skills. The meeting noted that all the major IT vendors in the country have both supported the initiative and made contributions to the development of FOSS. Government departments will incorporate FOSS in their planning henceforth. By April 2007, a project office will be set up by the Department of Science and Technology, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to ensure smooth implementation of FOSS throughout the country.”

Statement-on-Cabinet-meeting-of-21-February-2007-_-Government-Communication-and-Information-System-GCISDownload