‘Who builds schools to teach people how to use WhatsApp?’ – Bright Simons

Bright Simons, Vice-President and head of Research at the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, has called on policymakers to remove barriers that prevent ordinary Ghanaians from benefiting from digital technology. At Joy News' Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy, Simons challenged the notion that people need formal training to use digital platforms effectively.

He questioned the assumption that people require structured education to use platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube, pointing to ride-hailing, e-commerce, and delivery services as examples of how ordinary individuals have gained useful digital skills through practical experience. Simons argued that policy plays a crucial role in creating opportunities by removing obstacles that hinder people from earning a living through technology.

He emphasized that removing barriers can be a practical approach to helping people utilize digital services for income generation. However, Simons cautioned that government intervention could sometimes hinder rather than help the adoption of digital services. He recalled his opposition to proposals to license ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, noting that these initiatives included burdensome local government requirements.

Additionally, he cited public opposition to developer licensing as a reason to carefully consider new regulatory requirements before implementing them. Simons stressed that discussions about such rules directly impact ordinary people and can either facilitate or hinder the accessibility of digital opportunities. He rejected the notion that identifying policy barriers is merely a theoretical exercise, emphasizing that such barriers are practical impediments and bottlenecks that individuals like him should not be dismissed as discussing theoretical concepts.

Instead, he stressed the practical implications of these barriers on the adoption of digital services.