MOZFEST HOUSE KENYA INSIGHTS

Participants at the Mozilla Festival House in Kenya have begun developing practical solutions to issues like digital extractivism. Discussions at the forum include introducing global content moderation unions advocating for fair and equitable wages, and building strong solidarity for digital labor movements.

The festival has brought together diverse communities to discuss, debate and connect around some of the most pressing issues impacting the region, such as the role of technology in propagating social injustices in Africa.

Policymakers, technologists and activists in attendance delved into how emerging technologies like AI have furthered the marginalization of vulnerable groups across the continent and how extractive data practices continue to broaden this gap.

Senior Vice President, Global Programs, Mozilla J. Bob Alotta says East Africa and the continent at large “is pushing for tech sovereignty. The policymakers, technologists, and activists at MozFest Kenya are on this campaign’s frontlines, actively pursuing an internet where African perspectives and needs are the status quo.”

According to Chenai Chair, Senior Program Officer, Africa Innovation Mradi: “Digital extractivism is core to how many emerging technologies are being built but it doesn’t have to be. The community at MozFest House is challenging exploitative patterns, like Big tech companies irresponsibly outsourcing the cheaper, ‘lower-value’ aspects in the tech value chain — data annotation, content moderation to Africans”.

MozFest House Kenya features over 30 deep, interactive sessions on various topics such as the path towards inclusive digital identity, the digital ID movement, and the risks of digitizing discrimination through AI.