Mozambique's Internet Shutdown
also ft Africa's content moderation and child protection
CybAfriqué is a space for news and analysis on cyber, data, and information security on the African continent.
Hello,
This edition dwells more on censorship, from the threats of cyber harassment particularly on children to Mozambique’s election woes.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Internet Shutdown in Mozambique
Following Mozambique’s October 9 general and provincial assembly elections, the country has restricted social media access amidst opposition disputes over the election results released by the International Republican Institute (IRI). The institute highlighted concerns including late accreditation of domestic observers and party agents, reports of misuse of state resources during the campaign period, vote buying, and voter intimidation.
A protest against the election result soon after caused eleven people to die. However, citizens are planning to demonstrate again since authorities have shut down the internet on October 31, the second time in a row after October 9 as revealed in a statement by the Media Institute of Southern Africa.
ICYMI: North African Authoritarian Regimes and Digital Right Suppression
Last year, the country witnessed its first internet shutdown on October 11 during the country's local elections when authorities shut down access to the internet and social media for about three hours. This shutdown affected major internet service providers and impacted several locations across the country, making it difficult for people to access information regarding the polls.
This incident raises concerns about the government's willingness to ensure internet access or freedom of expression and during critical national events. It is worth noting that Mozambique's internet shutdowns are part of a broader trend in Africa, where several countries have imposed similar restrictions during elections or periods of social unrest.
On Children, Content Moderation and Cyber Harassment
Earlier in February, the African Union introduced the African Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy and became the first continent to implement online safety for children. This policy, according to a report by the organization, will serve as a framework for constituting national agendas for countries on the continent, noting the urgency of regulation of the digital space and the risks it poses to children.
According to a 2019 report by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, at least one in three young people have witnessed online harassment or cyberbullying. The data was extracted through a poll studied across 30 countries, of which ten African countries including Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe, etc were a part.
Cyberbullying manifests in different forms, such as hate speech, sexual harassment, and cyberstalking, among others, and can target any age group. However, arguably, children are the most vulnerable. There are lax restrictions or regulations regarding what children consume online, and there are no consequences for specifically aiming at them.
Countries should have legislation addressing cyberbullying or in one way or the other content moderation to protect the online safety of children. The punishment for cyberbullying stipulated in the Nigeria Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act of 2015 is a minimum fine of N2 million ($1.2k) to N25 million ($15k) and/or up to 10 years in prison, but this does not particularly echo preventive measures against cyberbullying, especially when the perpetrator is a child. Last year, a bill focusing on cyber harassment of children in the country titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Enactment of Child Online Access Protection Bill 2023 and other Issues of Online Violence against Nigerian Child and other Related Matters” scaled second reading. This bill requires Internet Service Providers to block access to indecent digital content that affects children.
Content moderation sure has a progressive mechanism of preventing cyberbullying, particularly among children who have little dictate over what appears on their timeline. The Philippines Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, UK Online Safety Act 2023, and the US, through its Kids Online Safety Act and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act model for prevention against online harassment, mandates social media platforms and other companies to regulate content accessible to children. Malaysia also requires companies to apply for a licence by means of creating a safe online environment for children.
While these regulations by non-African countries have their share of censorship controversy, only a few African countries address cyberbullying tailored to the online safety of children. These legislations need to be improved in a bid to not only focus on the problems and recycle criminals by imposing fines but also enhance practical solutions.
FEATURES
According to cybersecurity experts, Africa's improving cybersecurity landscape is encouraging, but regional disparities and emerging threats require attention.
HEADLINES
Huawei Cloud sees fast business growth in South Africa - Reuters
Somalia security cameras aim to cut al Shabaab attacks but militants fight back - Reuters
NETSCOUT Reveals Rising DDoS Threats in Southern Africa - IT News Africa
How SA’s national cloud and data policy supports innovation - IT Web
Kenya lost $83 million to cybercrime in 2023 and detected 1.1 billion threats from April to June 2024 - Techpoint Africa
Hackers Leak 180,000 Esport North Africa User Records a Day Before Tournament Begins - Hackread
Nigeria experiences 2,560 cyber attacks weekly, NSA Nuhu Ribadu promises help - Technext
Nigerian Government Partners Ericsson on 5G Potential - IT News Africa
TikTok removes over 11 million violative videos, with Egypt and Nigeria leading in 9 African countries - Techpoint Africa
NCC bans Nigerians under 18 from buying SIM cards - Premium Times
EFCC Unveils Cybercrime Rapid Response Service - EFCC
ACROSS THE WORLD
OPPORTUNITIES
World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24) | New Delhi, India | 15 - 24 October 2024
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