Internet Freedom

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…

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.

Facebook’s Internet.org: A strategic project bridging the African digital divide?

By Arthur Gwagwa

The debate on net neutrality pitting the haves and have-nots is not a new one in projects that draws multiple stakeholders from the global north and south. Although these hemispheres are under one sky, their perspectives on what development entails have different horizons. The scathing criticism of internet.org, though based on principle, needs to descend to the realm…

Online Censorship in South Africa

South Africa is among the top five African countries with the highest mobile broadband reach, preceded by Ghana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Egypt. As of June 2014, internet users had increased to 52% of the population, majority of them using mobile devices to access the internet.

Although the country has been ranked free in internet freedom rankings and held highly in respect…

Reporters Without Borders Launches World Freedom Indicator 2013

News Update |

After the “Arab springs” and other protest movements that prompted many rises and falls in last year’s index, the 2013 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index marks a return to a more usual configuration. The ranking of most countries is no longer attributable to dramatic political developments. This year’s index is a better reflection of the attitudes…