Govt to merge all ICT, communications laws

The government has announced plans to merge all ICT and communication laws to better regulate the media industry and combat misinformation propagated through social media and new technologies.

During the annual Media Convention 2024, themed "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social Networks to Combat Misinformation in Uganda," held at Makerere University, the State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Mr Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, highlighted the government's intention to consolidate existing communication laws.

"Technology here is private sector-led. We have put in place conducive laws, regulations, and policies that create a favourable environment for you to operate. Therefore, we are working on a law that will bring together all the IT and communication laws into one— the national communication law," he said.

He explained that this approach would simplify the process of updating the law, as technology evolves rapidly and requires frequent revisions. The laws under consideration for this merger include the Computer Misuse Act and the Data Protection and Privacy Act, among others.

Mr Baluku also emphasised that these laws would support businesses, particularly those operating online, by providing a conducive environment for growth. The government is expanding the necessary infrastructure to support this.

"We are expanding the infrastructure because whether AI or any other type of application, they are internet-driven. That’s why we secured a loan to expand the national backbone and another from the World Bank to facilitate distribution—what we call the last mile," he said.

Additionally, the minister said the government plans to develop an AI policy.

"Technology has significantly reduced terrorism acts through technical intelligence. We can now monitor activities everywhere, even at Makerere," Mr Baluku added.

The convention attracted numerous media practitioners and IT experts, sparking discussions about the impact of social media.

In the realm of social media, information spreads rapidly, often without verification or consideration of potential consequences. While much misinformation is spread without harmful intent, disinformation is a more malicious concern.

Mr Thembo Nyombi, the executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), said the rise of social media and digital platforms has accelerated the spread of disinformation and misinformation, undermining traditional media's dominance and fostering mistrust in the government, which threatens the state's stability.

Prof Bruce Mutsvairo, the chairman of Media, Politics, and the Global South at Utrecht University in Netherlands, called for a community-based approach to fact-checking. He advocated for a non-elite method and introduced a citizen-led fact-checking initiative he is developing, suggesting that integrating AI into this mechanism could yield significant results.

However, he cautioned that the narrative of AI being the ultimate solution is not entirely practical, especially in Africa, as AI cannot fully replicate human judgment in detecting lies.

Panelists agreed that technology is the future, urging young people to embrace it. However, they stressed the importance of policies to regulate its use.

Mr Joel Kigozi, the vice chairperson of the National Association of Broadcasters, said: "Technology is not bad, but the illiteracy surrounding it must be addressed."

Mr Daniel Kalinaki, the general manager in-charge of Editorial at Nation Media Group Uganda, encouraged journalism students to leverage AI and open-source intelligence to stay competitive in the media industry.

However, Mr Yusuf Kiranda, the Makerere University secretary, revealed that the university currently lacks a policy on AI, which remains a critical gap.