
How Internet Shutdown Threatens Digital Freedom in Africa
Internet shutdowns are increasingly used by African governments to silence dissent and weaken digital freedom.

Internet shutdowns are increasingly used by African governments to silence dissent and weaken digital freedom.

There are instances where platforms silence African voices or ban their pages. For example, tech giants, including YouTube and Google, recently banned African Stream, a pan-African digital media outlet, following allegations from the United States for promoting Russian propaganda.

The new guidelines, instead of paving a pathway for prosperity, seem to pose a potential peril to the pulsating crypto pulse. In the recent Human Freedom Index (HFI), co-published by the Cato Institute and Fraser Institute, Nigeria is placed at 118th, a rank too poor for Africa’s biggest economy. Most of the countries that rank highly in the Human Freedom Index invest in cryptocurrency.

African governments love tightening their grip on social media platforms, imposing bans, and stifling digital freedom in the name of morality and national security.
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Get new insights on pro-freedom issues and current events. Subscribe to ‘Letters of Reasoning’ for weekly expert commentary and fresh perspectives.