'Digital Authoritarianism' Threatening Basic Rights in Africa

Circulating posts on social media, as well as news outlets such as The East African and Africa Centre, claim that social media and internet restrictions are done in the interest of national security.

The posts specify that restrictions particularly occur in the African continent such as in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

It is alleged that the governments limit access in order to curb misinformation, “fake news, political trolls” and other threats in order to safeguard national security.

Some posts even claim that social media is completely blocked for security purposes. The claims are mostly referring to government statements that cite national security as a reason for restricting online access.

Although the claim has been circulating for a few years, it has recently been put under the spotlight.