Perspective: manufacturers should be liable when computer bugs leave consumers in the lurch

Auto makers are responsible for the safety and reliability of their cars. So why shouldn't software makers be held responsible for buggy computer programs?Computers ; Consumer protection

ICT policies relating to privacy, freedom of expression and access to information : a briefing paper

Meeting: International Workshop on the Nexus between ICTs and Human Rights in Africa, 2-4 April, 2009, Kampala, UGICTs have made access to information and freedom of expression easier for those with less resources, and expanded the capacity for mass distribution of information. At the same time, ICTs allow for automated censorship and pose new threats to privacy. This document is a brief primer on some key issues in Africa in areas of privacy, freedom of expression and access to information, and how they relate to ICT policy. The digital divide is a significant problem in many African countries, limiting access to information. The document was prepared for the International Workshop on ‘The Nexus Between ICTs and Human Rights in Africa.

The uncertain relationship between transparency and accountability

The concepts of transparency and accountability are closely linked: transparency is supposed to generate accountability. This article questions this widely held assumption. Transparency mobilises the power of shame, yet the shameless may not be vulnerable to public exposure. Truth often fails to lead to justice. After exploring different definitions and dimensions of the two ideas, the more relevant question turns out tobe: what kinds of transparency lead to what kinds of accountability, and under what conditions? The article concludes by proposing that the concept can be unpacked in terms of two distinct variants. Transparency can be either ‘clear’or‘opaque’, while accountability can be either‘soft’or‘hard’

Balancing Rights and Managing Conflicts

The right to privacy and the right to information are both essential human rights in the modern information society. For the most part, these two rights complement each other in holding governments accountable to individuals. But there is a potential conflict between these rights when there is a demand for access to personal information held by government bodies. Where the two rights overlap, states need to develop mechanisms for identifying core issues to limit conflicts and for balancing the rights. This paper examines legislative and structural means to better define and balance the rights to privacy and information