Social media — should it be a threat to leaders in Africa?
Social media is more than views and opinions shared online; the technology can also help orchestrate protests that move beyond the digital realm
17 August 2019 - 09:20
In mid-July Chad lifted its 16-month social media ban. This ended the longest social media blockage seen in any African country. The government argued that the lengthy ban was necessary for security reasons.
The Chadian case highlights the way social media has increasingly been framed as a threat, especially by authoritarian leaders. Since the beginning of 2019 at least nine other African countries have also experienced government-ordered internet shutdowns...
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