By Nsikak Emmanuel Ekere
The 12th edition of the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) 2023 with the theme “Transforming Africa’s Landscape,” was hosted Abuja, Nigeria from September 19-21, 2023. The event brought together regulators, stakeholders, experts, academia, and digital enthusiasts from Africa and the world over.
To provide in-depth analysis and expertise was a panel session on the theme; “Where’s my data? Navigating the World of Data Privacy and Security”, moderated by Philip Ayazika, alongside panelists Rachel Magege and Bonnita Nyamwire of Pollicy– a think tank on internet and data governance issues. The discussion aimed at understanding the processes of how data privacy and security are interlinked, with a case study on Uganda and other African countries.
Giving an overview, the panelists highlighted that data collection is not aggregated in the way it should be. People’s data is obtained from different means. Examples are when biometrics of people are taken, mobile studies, birth certificates, data collection in the case of COVID-19, facial recognition, like in the case of iris scanning by Worldcoin in Kenya. Personal data is collected through tracking apps from health apps and AI apps and the management cycle of one’s data destruction is a bit difficult.
“How much data we give out through the number of apps we use could lead to risks and downsides such as loss of control, harassment, data privacy breaches, misuse of data, surveillance concerns, and inaccurate profiling.”
Philip explained with visuals and a creative card game developed by Pollicy to create awareness of how a threshold can be made to have control over your data and how to protect your data from spamming, phishing, and other digital privacy breaches.
“Majority of internet users struggle to navigate the world of data privacy and protection mostly because of the use of jargon and technical terms in communicating concepts on data,” Philip poised.
Therefore, Pollicy came up with a card game dubbed “Where’s My Data”. Through a simulation of real-life scenarios on how to protect your data, the game presents data subjects, and all stakeholders with an opportunity to learn about the concept of data protection in a fun and engaging way.
In the same light, Rachel underscored the significance of Pollicy’s innovative games as tools for also empowering women to protect themselves from digital harassment, human rights violations, and stalking. Notably, the Digital SafeTea game, also developed by Pollicy has enabled more women to access useful tips for safeguarding their personal data and navigating the digital landscape confidently. Rachel highlighted the impact of these games, recounting how they significantly enhanced digital literacy, even among parliamentarian women in Uganda and beyond.
The games serve as an educational tool, promoting discussions and understanding of data privacy issues, while encouraging players to adopt good data protection practices in their real lives. The games also aims to empower players into fostering a sense of control over their personal information in an increasingly digital world.
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