[ 2016-05-30 ]

Ghanaians oppose shutdown of social media during elections
Some countries in Africa have developed a routine
habit of blocking social media platforms before,
during and after elections citing “security
concerns”.

During the recent elections held in Uganda, for
example, the government ordered telecommunication
companies to block access to popular social media
platforms. Social media platforms were also
blocked ahead of Ugandan President Museveni's
inauguration.

Uganda and Nigeria are two countries that have
recently indicated their intentions to impose
stricter controls over social media, and Ghana, it
appears, may be joining them.

‘We are thinking about it’

In Ghana, the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
John Kudalor, has hinted Ghanaian authorities
might consider shutting down social media
platforms during elections due to take place on
November 7.

The IGP emphasised that the potential shutdown of
social media platforms during elections is based
on the fact that some people abuse the space
during voting.

There have been complaints that social media
users spread misinformation and rumours about
violations and violence at polling stations on
election day.

In a quotes published by local media outlet Citi
FM he said: "At one stage I said that if it
becomes critical on the eve and also on the
election day, we shall block all social media as
other countries have done. We’re thinking about
it. We are also thinking about the other
alternative that the police should be IT compliant
and get our own social media [account] to be able
to stop these things on time. We are looking at
the variables and come D-Day, we’ll come out
with a decision".

The news of the potential shutdown unleashed a
wave of negative reactions on TV, radio and social
media platforms.

In response to the IGP's statement, the Alliance
for Accountable Governance (AFAG), berated the
mooted block.

"Blocking or restricting access to social media
is a blatant violation of freedom of expression.
The 1992 constitution declares in no equivocal
terms that: All persons shall have the right to
freedom of speech and expression, which shall
include freedom of the press and other media. The
constitution guarantees that the press and every
individual in Ghana has the right to say anything
that they want, whenever that they want and
wherever that they want.

"The position of the IGP in relation to the
effect of social media on election suggests that
the Ghana police lacks appreciation of the use of
online social networking technology in a 21st
century world as a platform of engagement. This
kind of thinking is unacceptable".

Kinna Likimani, of the social media platform
dedicated to election coverage in Ghana, Ghana
Decides, also stated during an interview: "We are
not a country that subscribes to heavy handed
repressive tactics otherwise we will not be in a
democracy. What we need to do is that within our
democratic dispensation, we educate our citizens.
The Police needs to understand and come on and we
all work together. There is a huge space that even
the Police can occupy on social media. Ways by
which we can inform Ghanaians, ways in which we
can help them in their job.

"Not only the Police , including the EC who is
now on social media. The last election, the EC
released the results on Facebook. The Peace
Council needs to be on social media, the
government needs to be on social media. It is a
platform for informing and together we can Police
ourselves but to ascribe to heavy handed
repressive tactics, I repeat it is not a
democratic best practice and it doesn’t suite
the path we are on as Ghanaians. We close down
social media and then what. What message do we
send to ourselves as Ghanaians. That we can’t
handle ourselves".

A well known private legal practitioner, Ace
Ankomah wanted to know which law will be used to
block social media and prevent access to
information which is a key democratic right in
Ghana.

"The right and freedom of information and
communication is absolutely guaranteed and the
excuse to it ought to be in accordance with law in
a democratic society. So for even considering this
the IGP is playing with a possible legal action
from restraining it from doing it.

On the basis of which law is he going to stop
access to information? Our rights to communication
cannot be infringed with under the provisions of
the constitution unless it is in accordance with
law and not just law, law that is necessary in a
democratic society. So technically and legally
they will struggle.

Nigeria did election without banning social media
and the report show that social media helped.
Uganda banned it so on what basis are we going the
Ugandan way instead of going the Nigerian way?
Let’s strengthen the traditional media to be
able to give out information and give it out
quickly so that we will know that the key thing is
traditional media. So that when somebody put out
some diabolic message, traditional media can
quickly kill it. If you shut down social media, we
can still talk and people can still do their
diabolic".

Facebookers such as Stephen Saan-Ire regretted
the fact that a country traditionally viewed as
one of the continent's stronger democracies was
seemingly falling into line with autocracies like
Uganda, while Twitter also lined up to pan the
potential block.

Most people, however, have been supportive of the
suggestion that the Ghanaian Police should
fine-tune its own social media skills in order to
engage with the public.

Clearly, this is a preferable approach to
information management than simply blocking the
platforms

Source - globalvoices.org

... go Back