Solving Disinformation in Africa
also ft; Digital Right Suppression in North Africa
CybAfriqué is a space for news and analysis on cyber, data, and information security on the African continent.
From Togo to Ghana, and from Algeria to Nigeria and South Africa, varying news about telecommunications, cyberharassment, and identity fraud have stormed the headlines. We also demystified disinformation campaigns across the continent.
— Adebola.
HIGHLIGHTS
Identifying Disinformation Propaganda with Diplomatic Alliances
Amid preparation for presidential or general election elections across 19 African countries and governments, there has been simultaneous awareness and advocacy against disinformation propaganda, which has plagued elections in different continents, including the US. This global concern may be more discouraging as the Africa Center for Strategic Studies reports that there have been 189 sponsored disinformation campaigns in 39 African countries.
Several African countries are on the lookout for suspected tactics such as to bring down propaganda. These tactics have not only included elections but also gaming technologies. The increasing influence of Russia on the continent has led to even more discord within countries let alone neighbouring countries. With military assistance from Russia, Sahelian countries, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc since January 2024.
More recently, in a 10-day demonstration by Nigerian citizens to end bad governance, some protesters were captured hoisting the Russian flags which was met with swift reactions by the government and important authorities. Subsequently, the Russian embassy denied involvement in the event. This surge of disinformation may continually linger, with the different tactics employed by these actors to permeate the continent.
Unlike African countries, countering disinformation is beyond domestic efforts as diplomatic ties and alliances are now being forged by countries like the US to identify these propagandas. In January, the US enacted ‘The Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation’ to this effect. Similarly, in 2016, an interagency centre was established upon the implementation of the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act (CFPDA) in a bid to abate Russian disinformation campaigns.
Like the US, Africa may be able to get ahead by establishing agencies within intelligence and foreign affairs departments and extending collaboration with other countries to target disinformation.
North African Authoritarian Regimes and Digital Right Suppression
North African countries may have it worse when it comes to digital suppression and censorship of the internet. Although there is barely any aggregate data to conclude, reports from each country reveal that in the past four years alone, there has been at least one case of internet shutdown or ambiguous and perfunctory laws deterring freedom of speech in the region.
In Algeria for instance, there is a yearly practice of internet shutdowns earmarked to be a measure against cheating during examinations, not only impacting the students but other citizens in the country.
In another scenario, Decree No. 54, targeted towards combating cybercrime, has been more effective for challenging dissidents than safeguarding Tunisian citizens against illegal activities on the web. Libya and Morocco are not spared of this.
Of the several reasons associated with this, most North African countries have historic authoritarian regimes which are characterised by habitual abuse and brutal trampling of human rights. While other African regions are also grappling with digital rights, the clear geopolitical distinctions of the North African region explain the different approach to embracing constitutional freedoms.
FEATURES
Amid suspected xenophobic attacks on a Nigerian with dual citizenship in South Africa, Chidimma Adetshina, a probe into her eligibility for the Miss South Africa pageant discontinued her participation after her mother was found to have allegedly ‘stolen’ a South African woman's identity. This report briefly exposes the citizenship issue and states that between April 2023 and 2024, there has been a 400 % surge in impersonation cases in the country.
HEADLINES
French Prosecutors Investigate Gender-based Cyber Harassment of Algerian Olympic Champ Imane Khelif - Latestly
Nigerian data agency fines Fidelity Bank for breaches - Reuters
GTBank downtime: Incompetence or something more sinister? - TechCabal
Safaricom expands 5G coverage to all counties with new 311 locations - Business Daily
Vodacom pledges more cash for South Africa Developing Telecoms - Developing Telecoms
DRC's first Tier 3 data centre is live - Connecting Africa
Starlink To Disconnect Ghana Users Accessing Its Mobile Plans On August 21st - Tech Labari
Ghana's Regulator Tackles Telco Spam Messages - Connecting Africa
NCC Updates SIM Registration and NIN Linkage Guidelines - Regtech Africa
Federal Government Launches National Broadband Alliance to Drive Digital Transformation - Regtech Africa
FG, NIMC launch Data capturing scheme for Nigerian farmers - Nairametrics
Togo and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa sign MOU To Establish African Cybersecurity Center - Tech Labari
PLCC and LCN put an end to the fraud activities of a cybercriminal via Mobile Money in Abidjan - Africa Cybersecurity Magazine
ACROSS THE WORLD
OPPORTUNITIES
West Africa Border Security Week | Lagos, Nigeria | September 3 - 4, 2024
Global Security Exchange (GSX) | Orlando, Florida, USA | September 23 - 25, 2024
East Africa Border Security Week | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania | September 26 - 27, 2024
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