SINKING IN SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, CYBER-CRIME AND OUR REFLECTIONS ON FAKE NEWS.

The Deep Dive 36th Edition

Hello!

If there's ever been a time to consider the state of the world today, then today is it! The world has faced one crisis after another; from the impacts of COVID-19 that are hardly ebbing away, to a serious global economic shocks (the sterling pound dipped below parity with the US-dollar this week). In these moments, we as journalists are confronted with among many serious questions, one of note: Which role is more important? To be the sentinel or a reassuring voice to the public? The two are not mutually exclusive, but in times of crisis one is forced to reflect on which means more to our audience? So far, our role as Africa Uncensored has been to tell the stories that may come to shape our collective future, many of these have been difficult stories to tell. For instance, Raquel Muigai's stunning explainer on the life of Frank Obegi and Kenya's cyber-crime underworld delves into waters that some of us would rather keep away from. Read about it further down. Calvin Rock raises the alarm in his piece, "trash trade", which looks into the increasingly dire situation Kenya is faced with because of its garbage disposal gaps. All of these are important stories; but, we dare ask, do our stories help you navigate your way through your lives? Let us know in the comments or on our socials.

Even as we self-reflect, we ask, as always, for you to dive in, and enjoy this week's edition.

Raquel Muigai on Producing How to Become a Cyber Criminal: Frank Obegi and the Cybercrime Underworld.

With the current advancement in technology globally, you are one click away from a being a victim, especially in matters banking/credit fraud. The truth is, you at least know someone who knows someone that has been conned.

The explainer, “How to become a cyber criminal” merely laid bare how it could or does happen and how to protect yourself from being a victim, and what better way to tell that story than through the most familiar case in Kenya’s recent history, Frank Obegi. Well, the police did mention that he was allegedly involved in a case of online fraud during their initial investigation.

As that remains as an investigation, the Central Bank of Kenya estimates that there are at least 6 million transactions done via the ATM cards. Your ATM card can be used by anyone if they have the card number, expiration date and the cardholder’s name or the three-digit security code on the back of the card. A setup that allows thieves to use debit cards for online purchases without knowing their PINs.  

Despite the fact that some banks have adopted ways to avoid such fraud from happening, other banks haven’t. On the other hand, some bank employees are conniving to rob you. Unfortunately, you can never be too careful. 

While most people think they know how to prevent this from happening, you can never be too careful. You can have the strongest password (which is definitely not your year of birth, graduation of marriage anniversary) or even opt to never use the ATM card. It still may not work in your favour. 

 One thing I learnt while producing the story is to be sceptical about every conversation and every mobile application, especially one that involves my personal and/or financial details.

Watch Frank Obegi and the Cybercrime Underworld here.

Plastic is not the Problem but how it is Mismanaged - Calvin Rock

There one principal reason why plastic is everywhere: it is cheap. For this reason, plastic is used in the manufacture of all sorts of packages from ice cream and margarine tubs to soft drink bottles and other packages. Nearly all products you can think of are packaged in some form of plastic packaging. Besides being cheap, plastic is lighter compared to other materials such as glass and aluminium. This synthetic material solves hundreds if not thousands of human needs, but there is the flip side.

With population growth, global demand for plastic grows as well. It is projected that by 2050, the global production of plastic will have tripled. In 2017, the global production of plastic was 9.2 billion tons and in 2050 it is expected to grow to 34 billion tons. But, where does all this plastic go? Much of it ends up in the environment; in landfills and dumping sites. 

Plastic, from manufacturer ingredients to disposal, has a really heavy carbon footprint. Trash Trade explores the ways in which plastic contributes to climate change while drawing insights from key plastic-economy players on what can and is being done to alleviate the problem. It may not seem like it but individuals, organisations and civil societies are doing a lot in their own ways to help ease this looming global catastrophe. Nzambii Matee, for instance, through her start-up, Gjenge, makes pavers from discarded plastic. While this may seem like a drop in the ocean, if such initiatives are supported through government initiatives and individual goodwill, the battle against the effect of plastic on Climate change will have been half won. Watch The Trash Trade here to learn more.

The Big Picture Episode 8.2: Misinformation, Disinformation & Fake News During Kenya's 2022 Elections

This week's episode is a continuation of a conversation with Meedan's Eric Mugendi and the Big picture team Tracy Bonareri, Thomas Mukhwana and John-Allan Namu about the impact that misinformation and disinformation had on Kenya's election. Lot's of great nuggets are shared in this episode, including some on how to spot news that doesn't look right.

Here is part 1 of this big picture conversation. Part 2 will premier this Wednesday on our YouTube Channel at 8pm. Don’t miss out!

Join Our Newsroom - Thursday 29th September Twitter Space

Finally, this Thursday we invite you to #JoinOurNewsroom in our Twitter Space. In our Twitter spaces, we discuss topical issues in and around the country. What would you like us to focus on this week? Let us know on the comments.

Cheers.

Editorial Director: John-Allan Namu

Assignment Editor: Sam Munia

Social Media Manager: Muraguri Gitahi

Contributors: John Allan Namu, Calvin Rock and Raquel Muigai.

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