INFORMATION ETHICS IN AFRICA PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES (2007-2010) Rafael Capurro Distinguished Researcher in Information Ethics University of.

INFORMATION ETHICS IN AFRICAINFORMATION ETHICS IN AFRICAPAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIESPAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES

(2007-2010) (2007-2010)

Rafael CapurroRafael CapurroDistinguished Researcher in Information EthicsDistinguished Researcher in Information Ethics

University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukeehttp://www.capurro.de/wsis2010_africa_infoethics.htmlhttp://www.capurro.de/wsis2010_africa_infoethics.html

WSIS Forum 2010WSIS Forum 2010

http://www.capurro.de/wsis2010_africa_infoethics.html

WSIS Forum 2010WSIS Forum 2010 22

ContentContent

IntroductionIntroduction

I. First African Conference on Information Ethics (2007)I. First African Conference on Information Ethics (2007) The Tshwane Declaration on Information EthicsThe Tshwane Declaration on Information Ethics The African Network for Information Ethics (ANIE)The African Network for Information Ethics (ANIE) The ProceedingsThe Proceedings

II. Africa Reader on Information Ethics (2009)II. Africa Reader on Information Ethics (2009)

III. High-level Workshop on Ethics and e-Government in Africa III. High-level Workshop on Ethics and e-Government in Africa (2009)(2009)

IV. Second African Conference on Information Ethics (2010)IV. Second African Conference on Information Ethics (2010)



Information Ethics in Africa is a young Information Ethics in Africa is a young academic field. academic field.

But there is also a long history of Information But there is also a long history of Information Ethics in Africa. It concerns Africa’s rich oral Ethics in Africa. It concerns Africa’s rich oral and written traditions throughout many and written traditions throughout many centuries about different kinds of centuries about different kinds of information and communication practices information and communication practices using different moral codes and media using different moral codes and media based on dynamic and complex processes of based on dynamic and complex processes of cultural hybridization. cultural hybridization.



Critical reflection on this history Critical reflection on this history promotes greater awareness of promotes greater awareness of Africa's cultural legacy, which Africa's cultural legacy, which provides the foundations of the provides the foundations of the digital information and digital information and communication technologies that will communication technologies that will create unique and genuinely African create unique and genuinely African information societies. information societies.



Information ethics opens a space of Information ethics opens a space of critical reflection for all stakeholders critical reflection for all stakeholders on established moral norms and on established moral norms and values, it provides the catalyst for a values, it provides the catalyst for a social process, and is a space for social process, and is a space for retrieving the rich African cultural retrieving the rich African cultural memory necessary to our field.memory necessary to our field.



The main moral responsibility of The main moral responsibility of African academics in the field of African academics in the field of information ethics is therefore to information ethics is therefore to enrich African identities by retrieving enrich African identities by retrieving and re-creating African information and re-creating African information and communication traditions. and communication traditions.



From this perspective, cultural From this perspective, cultural memory is an ethical task if we want memory is an ethical task if we want to create a humane community to create a humane community based not just on the number of based not just on the number of people but on the relations between people but on the relations between them.them.


I. First African Conference on I. First African Conference on Information Ethics (2007)Information Ethics (2007)

The First African Conference on IE was held in The First African Conference on IE was held in Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa, 5-7 Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa, 5-7 February 2007, under the auspices of February 2007, under the auspices of UNESCO, sponsored by the South African UNESCO, sponsored by the South African Government, Department of Government, Department of Communications and organized by the Communications and organized by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Pretoria, University of University of Pretoria, University of Pittsburgh, and the International Center of Pittsburgh, and the International Center of Information Ethics.Information Ethics.



Under the heading 'the joy of sharing Under the heading 'the joy of sharing knowledge' and the patronage of UNESCO it knowledge' and the patronage of UNESCO it brought together some 80 policy makers brought together some 80 policy makers and academic minds from Africa and around and academic minds from Africa and around the world to discuss the impact of the use of the world to discuss the impact of the use of modern Information and Communication modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the African continent Technologies (ICTs) on the African continent and formulate a specifically African and formulate a specifically African perspective on the challenges involved - perspective on the challenges involved - locally and globallylocally and globally



In addressing the ethical challenges of the In addressing the ethical challenges of the information society on the African continent information society on the African continent the conference was inspired by the Geneva the conference was inspired by the Geneva Declaration adopted by the Geneva World Declaration adopted by the Geneva World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) of Summit on Information Society (WSIS) of 2003. It was explicitly conceived as part of 2003. It was explicitly conceived as part of the implementation of Action Line C10 of the implementation of Action Line C10 of the Geneva Plan of Action. the Geneva Plan of Action.



The conference produced the following results:The conference produced the following results:

Tshwane Declaration on Information Ethics adopted by the Tshwane Declaration on Information Ethics adopted by the participants of the conference as a genuine African participants of the conference as a genuine African contribution to the UNESCO Code of Ethics for the contribution to the UNESCO Code of Ethics for the Information Society.Information Society.

African Network for Information Ethics giving African scholars African Network for Information Ethics giving African scholars a platform to exchange and realize their ideas in the field.a platform to exchange and realize their ideas in the field.

The proceedings were first published in the International The proceedings were first published in the International Review of Information Ethics (IRIE vol. 7 - 09/2007). Now: Review of Information Ethics (IRIE vol. 7 - 09/2007). Now: "African Reader on Information Ethics“"African Reader on Information Ethics“

http://www.africainfoethics.org/conferences_2007.htmlhttp://www.africainfoethics.org/conferences_2007.html

http://www.africainfoethics.org/conferences_2007.html



African Network for Information Ethics (ANIE)African Network for Information Ethics (ANIE)http://www.africainfoethics.org/index.htmlhttp://www.africainfoethics.org/index.html This website is the result of the first African Information Ethics This website is the result of the first African Information Ethics

Conference, held in Tshwane, South Africa, 5-7 February 2007.Conference, held in Tshwane, South Africa, 5-7 February 2007. The attendees agreed to form a network of professionals The attendees agreed to form a network of professionals interested in Information Ethics from an African perspective to interested in Information Ethics from an African perspective to further research in this area and to contribute to fulfill the ideals further research in this area and to contribute to fulfill the ideals as spelled out in the Tshwane declaration.as spelled out in the Tshwane declaration. It includesIt includes

ConferencesConferences Members Members Tswane DeclarationTswane Declaration BibliographyBibliography PhotosPhotos List ServerList Server Africa Reader on Information EthicsAfrica Reader on Information Ethics

http://www.africainfoethics.org/index.html



The Tshwane Declaration on The Tshwane Declaration on Information Ethics in AfricaInformation Ethics in Africa

The Tshwane Declaration was adopted The Tshwane Declaration was adopted by the participants of the African by the participants of the African Information Ethics Conference: Information Ethics Conference: Ethical Challenges in the Information Ethical Challenges in the Information Age on 7 February 2007.Age on 7 February 2007.

http://www.africainfoethics.org/tshwanedeclaration.http://www.africainfoethics.org/tshwanedeclaration.htmlhtml

http://www.africainfoethics.org/tshwanedeclaration.html

http://www.africainfoethics.org/tshwanedeclaration.html



II. Africa Reader on Information II. Africa Reader on Information EthicsEthics

Capurro, R, Britz, JJ, Bothma, TJD and Capurro, R, Britz, JJ, Bothma, TJD and Bester, BC (Eds.). Bester, BC (Eds.). Africa Reader on Africa Reader on Information Ethics.Information Ethics. ISBN 978-0-620- ISBN 978-0-620-45627-2. Pretoria (2009)45627-2. Pretoria (2009)

http://www.africainfoethics.org/african_reader.htmlhttp://www.africainfoethics.org/african_reader.html

http://www.africainfoethics.org/african_reader.html


III. High-level Workshop on Ethics III. High-level Workshop on Ethics and e-Government (2009)and e-Government (2009)

under the auspices of UNESCO, co-sponsored under the auspices of UNESCO, co-sponsored by the South Africa Government, by the South Africa Government, Department of Communications and Department of Communications and organized by the University of Pretoria, the organized by the University of Pretoria, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh, and the International Center for Information Ethics, International Center for Information Ethics, 23-26 February 2009.23-26 February 2009.




III. High-level Workshop on Ethics III. High-level Workshop on Ethics and e-Government (2009)and e-Government (2009)

The central focus of e-Government in Africa The central focus of e-Government in Africa should be on helping to accomplish should be on helping to accomplish development goals and objectives, which development goals and objectives, which includes improving the quality of life of includes improving the quality of life of individuals and families, strengthening individuals and families, strengthening institutions in both the private and public institutions in both the private and public sectors, and enlarging the role of elements sectors, and enlarging the role of elements of the civil society so that the civil society of the civil society so that the civil society can partner more effectively with the other can partner more effectively with the other elements of the public sector and with the elements of the public sector and with the private sector. private sector.



IV. Second African Conference on IV. Second African Conference on Information EthicsInformation Ethics

Teaching Information Ethics in AfricaTeaching Information Ethics in AfricaCurrent Status, Opportunities and ChallengesCurrent Status, Opportunities and Challenges

Venue: University of Gaborone, Botswana, 6-7 September, 2010 Venue: University of Gaborone, Botswana, 6-7 September, 2010

Organized by Organized by the University of Botswanathe University of Botswanathe University of Zululandthe University of Zululandthe University of Pretoriathe University of Pretoriathe University of Wisconsin-Milwaukeethe University of Wisconsin-Milwaukeeand the International Center of Information Ethicsand the International Center of Information Ethicsunder the auspices of UNESCO under the auspices of UNESCO and co-sponsored by UNESCO, the University of Botswana, the University of and co-sponsored by UNESCO, the University of Botswana, the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the South African Government (Department of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the South African Government (Department of Communications) and SAP.Communications) and SAP.




IV. Second African Conference on IV. Second African Conference on Information EthicsInformation Ethics

Status reports from different African countries on the teaching of Status reports from different African countries on the teaching of Information EthicsInformation Ethics

South Africa: Dennis OchollaSouth Africa: Dennis Ocholla Namibia: Kingo MchombuNamibia: Kingo Mchombu Botswana: Stephen MutulaBotswana: Stephen Mutula Uganda: Kigongo BukenyaUganda: Kigongo Bukenya Nigeria: Iyabo MabawonkuNigeria: Iyabo Mabawonku Kenya: Daniel Rotich or Japheth OtikeKenya: Daniel Rotich or Japheth Otike Ghana: Anaba Alemna Ghana: Anaba Alemna Zambia: Akakandelwa Akakandelwa Zambia: Akakandelwa Akakandelwa Zimbabwe: Lawton Hikwa Zimbabwe: Lawton Hikwa Tanzania: Akello S. James Tanzania: Akello S. James Central African Republic: To be announcedCentral African Republic: To be announced Children / Youth and Information Ethics in Africa Children / Youth and Information Ethics in Africa

INFORMATION ETHICS IN AFRICA PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES (2007-2010) Rafael Capurro Distinguished Researcher in Information Ethics University of.

Documents

field of information

information ethics anie

african information

digital information

african conference

african network

african perspective

wsis forum