Julian Assange to chat in SA internet conference

2014-05-21 08:30

Cape Town - The fact that Julian Assange will participate in an internet forum in South Africa has more to do with his view on the web landscape than an endorsement of his views, says the event organiser.

The Ramp Foundation is hosting a Net Prophet event in Cape Town that seeks to "inspire creativity and the flow of ideas among entrepreneurs and stakeholders who operate in the internet-tech space in Africa and South Africa".

Assange, publisher of the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, is wanted by the US FBI on charges related to the release of confidential documents on the war in Iraq.

"Julian Assange is obviously a notorious public figure and is either loved or hated depending on your perspective. The organisers, sponsors and audience appreciate that he has a valuable opinion to share without anyone needing to endorse his perspective in any way," Bella Strmhielm, Ramp Foundation Manager told News24.

The event will, among other things, highlight the role that a more efficient internet can play in SA and in developing countries in general.

Mobile data traffic

The government has proposed a roadmap that promises 100% broadband coverage by 2020, despite ongoing challenges of low penetration and high cost.

"The Net Prophet conference is about inspiring tech innovators and entrepreneurs to come up with solutions that solve local problems using the internet. The name 'Net Prophet' speaks to prophesying where the internet is going as well as a play on the word profit by highlighting areas where money can be made online," said Strmhielm.

Mobile data is set to explode as more people in developing countries come online. (Duncan Alfreds, News24)

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Julian Assange to chat in SA internet conference