[Chapter-delegates] Disturbing trends in The Gambia with regards to Internet Freedom

[Narelle Clark President ISOC-AU]

Hi Latjor

Again, we see the sad case of those in power seeing the retention of power
more important than the rights of its people. I am not a scholar of
politics, but it seems to me that governments with the support of their
people are also open, transparent and engage productively with criticism.

Alejandro has given you some great pointers - as usual - on this topic!

I saw a program on Australian TV (
http://australianetwork.com/focus/s3797683.htm )over the weekend reporting
on the #FreeMyInternet campaign in Singapore - here is a review of some of
the activities relating to that:
http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2013/06/04/free-my-internet-movement-rises-in-singapore/

It looks to be a constructive blend of working with the regulators,
conducting constructive campaigns and highlighting the situation
nationally and internationally.

I can empathise with people thinking that VoIP represents a loss of
revenue, too. At times, it certainly does, but there are also tremendous
opportunities through increases in communication that lower costs bring
about. Many people just don't make phone calls at the high rates charged
by traditional telcos, but they will do altogether new business with
access to cheaper services. Kodak learned to its misfortune that if you
don't adapt with the times, your business model can disappear underneath
you. Just hoping (or regulating) people not to use something doesn't work,
while finding new business cases and adapting does. Print newspapers who
have developed good blogs, good online classified systems are surviving.
Ones that try to hang on to print revenues are losing. Perhaps these are
lessons that we can repeat.

I suspect the issue in part is ensuring the business systems are in place
to ensure appropriate taxation and community engagement.

There is also a very real issue that dating sites have been abused by
scammers - again the need is to press the operators for robust policies,
and to educate users of these sites to prevent rip offs.

Keep us posted!


Narelle

On Sat, July 6, 2013 6:39 am, GABRIEL LATJOR NDOW wrote:
> Further to my previous posting, one of the other national papers has
> published the following in response to the new amendment:
>
>  http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/quest-for-freedom-of-speech
>
> Latjor (I prefer my trad. name)


-- 


Narelle Clark
President
Internet Society of Australia

president at isoc-au.org.au
www.isoc-au.org.au