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Internet Restored In Cameroon: A Victory For Citizens, But Vigilance Remains

Paris April 21, 2017 – Internet Without Borders welcomes with relief the news on the restoration of Internet connectivity in the North West and Southwest regions of Cameroon, ordered by the President of the Republic, Paul Biya, on April 20, 2017.

Since January 17, 2017, 20 percent of the population of this country bordering Nigeria and Chad were cut from Internet…

PRISM, Snowden and Government Surveillance: 6 Things You Need To Know

By Lavanya Rathnam|

Edward Snowden, one of the most famous whistle blowers of our times, brought to light the many surveillance programs and other snooping activities of the U.S. government. This former intelligence officer revealed top secret documents to Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian and Laura Poitras, a freelance journalist, in May 2013 at a hotel in Hong Kong.

The many documents…

18 NGOs File an Intervention Before France’s Highest Court on Dangers of The ‘Right to Be Forgotten’

News Update|
Today, 18 expert non-governmental organisations from across the world have filed legal submissions before France’s highest court, the Council of State (Conseil d’État), raising serious concerns about a ruling of France’s data protection authority, la Commission nationale informatique et libertés (“CNIL”), on the “right to be forgotten”.
In 2014, CNIL ordered Google to remove 21 links from the results of an internet…

18 NGOs File an Intervention Before France’s Highest Court on Dangers of The ‘Right to Be Forgotten’

Press Release | Today, 18 expert non-governmental organisations from across the world have filed legal submissions before France’s highest court, the Council of State (Conseil d’État), raising serious concerns about a ruling of France’s data protection authority, la Commission nationale informatique et libertés (“CNIL”), on the “right to be forgotten”.

In 2014, CNIL ordered Google to remove 21 links from the…

The Evolution of Internet Shutdowns in DR Congo

By Arsene Tungali |

In the past seven years, citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have experienced a series of intentional interruptions to online communications, affecting the exercise of rights to freedom of expression and information as well as access to services.

The first shutdown of digital communications reported in DRC was in December 2011. The shutdown affected SMS, and…

Safeguarding Civil Society: Assessing Internet Freedom and the Digital Resilience of Civil Society in East Africa

By Small Media |

Over the past decade, East Africa has seen a tremendous boom in connectivity and online participation that is beginning to transform the way that citizens across the region communicate, express themselves, and establish communities. In a similar manner, the growth of internet access in the region is beginning to empower civil society organisations (CSOs) to engage with…

Internet Freedom Festival 2017: CIPESA to Host Session on Navigating Internet Freedom Challenges in Africa

By Lillian Nalwoga |

The annual Internet Freedom Festival (IFF) has commenced in Valencia, Spain with hundreds of journalists, activists, technologists, policy advocates, digital safety trainers, and designers from around the world in attendance. The Collaboration on International ICT policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) will host a session “Internet Freedom in Africa: Navigating the challenges” to spark conversation on…

Kenya: Big Brother could start tapping your calls, texts from next week

By Edwin Okoth |

From Tuesday, the government wants to be allowed to listen to your calls, read your text messages and review your mobile money transactions.

The government, through the Communications Authority of Kenya, has ordered mobile phone companies to allow it to tap their computers.

The tapping into these computers will be done by a company contracted by the agency.

Though the…

Kenyan Court Knocks Down Criminal Defamation, Safeguards Freedom of Expression

By Nani Jansen Reventlow and Catherine Anite |

Efforts to create more space for free expression in Africa have been strengthened by the Kenyan Judiciary. In the case of Jacqueline Okuta & Anor vs. AG & Others, the High Court of Kenya on 6 of February 2017 annulled section 194 of the Penal Code that provides for the offence of criminal…

Lobby Calls For Internet Freedom, Urges Responsible Use Of Social Media

By Lillian Mutavi |

A civil society that promotes effective and inclusive ICT policy in Africa has called for internet freedom in Kenya and responsible use of social media.

The Collaboration on International Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has also condemned national and county governments for harassing bloggers, social activists and even journalists who use social media platforms to highlight issues…