Blog

Africa’s Internet of Things: Challenges and Opportunities

By Dorothy Mudavanhu|

The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016 served as an opportunity to gather insights from different stakeholders in the information society ecosystem towards promoting a free and safe internet. The platform was used to assemble the different perspectives and thoughts on the path that Internet Freedom should take in Africa. The Forum also gave stakeholders the opportunity to…

Africa At Internet Freedom And Citizen Rights Cross Roads

By Thomas Sithole (@thomysithole)|

The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016 (FIFAfrica16) was my first time to attend and participate in a continental event on internet freedom. I have previously attended a number of workshops and conferences on internet freedom in my home country Zimbabwe.

Whereas these national level dialogues were useful in terms of making me appreciate the challenges we…

Should Internet-based Firms Explain Terms and Conditions to Users?

By Kofi Yeboah

There are many users of internet based platforms, like Facebook and Google, who are unaware of the existence of the terms and conditions that are available on the platform websites for users to familiarise themselves with and understand. The terms and conditions outline what is expected of both parties in agreement and also what both parties can and…

Digital Security Clinics @ #FIFAfrica16

Internet freedom is threatened by surveillance, censorship, and hacking and by an underground economy of online fraudsters and phishers. To make it in the digital era, you need digital survival skills. Stop by the DefendDefenders Digital Security Clinic table during the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016 and bring your questions and concerns to our digital security practitioners.

Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016 Panelists

We have an exciting line up of panelists from over 46 organisations from across Africa and beyond! See who they are, where they are from and what they do. Be sure to connect with them too and join the conversation on #InternetFreedom in Africa using the #FIFAfrica16 hashtag. Follow @cipesaug for updates.

For more information on the Forum panelists, click here…

Strengthening Africa’s Conversation and Actions on Internet Freedom

By Juliet Nanfuka |

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) with the support of Facebook, the Ford Foundation, Google, Hivos, Open Technology Fund (OTF) and Small Media will assemble an audience in Kampala, Uganda for the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2016. Set to take place on September 27–29, the Forum has become a…

Gabon is the Latest African Country to shut down Its Internet as Election Protests Grow

By Abdi Latif Dahir|

The government of Gabon shut down the internet on Wednesday (Aug. 31) following the announcement president Ali Bongo was re-elected by a slim margin for a second seven-year term in office. The move showcased the tensions already gripping the country, with the capital Libreville experiencing a night of violent clashes, looting and arrests, while the main opposition…

Mali is the Latest African Country to Impose a Social Media Blackout

By Lily Kuo|

It hasn’t been a good week for internet freedom in Africa, with three countries imposing social media blackouts, according to the campaign Keep it On.

Internet users in Bamako, Mali reported not being able to use Facebook and Twitter after protests against the detention of a popular radio host on Wednesday (Aug. 17) turned violent, resulting in three deaths.

Here’s Zimbabwe’s Draft Computer Crime and Cybercrime Bill

By Nigel Gambanga  (@nigelrtg) |

Legislation in Zimbabwe, whether in its preliminary form or as the passed law hardly gets everyone’s attention, but in the past few days, there has been a lot of focus on the draft Computer crime and Cybercrime Bill.

Though it hasn’t been passed as law yet, it has drawn a lot of criticism because of its focus on areas like…