Join the FIFAfrica23 Excitement: Here’s How You Can Spread the Word!

By CIPESA Writer |

Are you as excited as we are? We can’t wait to engage with you next week!

Over the years, the community attending the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) has grown. Many have gone on to collaborate on advocacy efforts, research, campaigns and projects. We look forward to keeping the spirit of advancing internet freedom in Africa going this year, in addition to growing the community.

As we get closer to the Forum, be sure to share your excitement, thoughts and insights on social media. Not sure what to say? Below are a few text ideas you can use in your own social media platforms:

  • Join me at #FIFAfrica23, where activists, technologists, policy-makers, and industry experts converge to shape the future of #InternetFreedomAfrica! Let’s be part of this transformative journey together. See more: www.internetfreedom.africa
  • Excited to be part of #FIFAfrica23 by @cipesaug, where we’ll dive into pressing issues shaping and informing #InternetFreedomAfrica. Together, we can forge a path towards a more open and inclusive digital landscape. See you there! www.internetfreedom.africa 
  • Calling all champions of internet freedom! #FIFAfrica23 is THE event to be at. Let’s amplify our collective voice for a free and open internet in Africa. Can’t wait to connect with you all!  #InternetFreedomAfrica @cipesaug
  • Thrilled to attend #FIFAfrica23 and discuss how we can advance digital rights in Africa. As a community, we’ll drive change, promote inclusivity, and foster innovation. See you at the forefront of this vital conversation online and offline! #InternetFreedomAfrica @cipesaug

Media Support. Send media queries to: [email protected]

Reflecting on the State of Internet Freedom in Africa Reports

 By CIPESA Writer |

As we approach the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica23), we’re excited to share vital insights about a cornerstone of the event. Our flagship annual ‘State of Internet Freedom in Africa Report’ illuminates trends in internet freedom across Africa. 

Since its inaugural edition in 2014, we’ve published a series regional reports and numerous country-specific analyses, solidifying the impact and influence of the report in the field.

The State of Internet Freedom in Africa has come serve as a reference point for a diverse array of stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, offering essential context and generating robust evidence to inform policy-making and practice in the ICT sector. Additionally, it amplifies awareness regarding internet freedom matters on the continent, sparking meaningful dialogues among digital rights advocates throughout Africa.

Below is a quick summary of what the reports have covered over the years. 

Documenting the State of Internet Freedom in Africa 

2022 – The Rise of Biometric Surveillance: The report highlights the increasing risks in the use of biometric technologies by governments for surveillance and social control in Africa. The report raises concern that in the absence of adequate safeguards, biometric technologies such as facial recognition, fingerprinting, and iris scanning could be abused to monitor citizens’ activities, track their movements, and limit their freedoms.
2021 – Effects of State Surveillance on Democratic Participation in Africa: The report documents how surveillance practices are becoming more pervasive in Africa, with governments using advanced technologies to monitor citizens’ online activities and infringing on their right to privacy. These practices have had a chilling effect on freedom of expression, association, and assembly, and limited opportunities for civic participation and engagement.
2020 – Resetting Digital Rights Amidst the Covid-19 Fallout: The report focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on digital rights and freedoms in Africa. It also highlights how the pandemic led to an increase in internet censorship, surveillance, and online violence against women, as well as the negative impact of internet shutdowns on access to information and public health messaging.
2019 – Mapping Trends in Government Internet Controls 1999-2019: The report provides an overview of the evolution of government internet controls in Africa over the past two decades. It highlights how African governments have increasingly adopted internet censorship and surveillance practices, implementing internet disruptions and arresting online activists, bloggers and journalists.
2018 – Privacy and Data Protection in the Digital Era: Challenges and Trends in Africa: The report highlights how African countries are lagging behind other regions in enacting data protection laws and regulations. It also highlights the increased risks of data breaches and other privacy violations and the impact on internet freedom.
2017 – Intermediaries’ Role in Advancing Internet Freedom in Africa: Challenges and Prospects: The report provides an overview of the role of intermediaries, such as internet service providers (ISPs) and social media platforms, in promoting internet freedom in Africa. It also highlights how African governments censor and control online content and the challenges faced by intermediaries in balancing their obligations under legal and regulatory frameworks and promoting internet freedom.
2016 – Case Studies from Select Countries on Strategies African Governments Use to Stifle Citizens’ Digital Rights: The report provides an overview of the various strategies employed by African governments to restrict citizens’ digital rights and examines case studies from a number of African countries, highlighting specific incidents of internet censorship, surveillance, and the persecution of online activists and journalists.
2015 – Survey on Access, Privacy and Security Online: The report surveyed internet users in six African countries and highlights the challenges that they face in accessing the internet, protecting their privacy and security online, and accessing information. It also examines the role of governments in regulating the internet and calls for greater transparency and accountability in their policies and practices.
2014 – An Investigation into the Policies and Practices Defining Internet Freedom in East Africa: The report provided an analysis of the policies and practices of governments and Internet service providers in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. It also identified the key challenges facing internet users in these countries, such as censorship, surveillance, and online harassment.

What would you like future reports to explore? Share your thoughts on social media and tag us (@cipesaug). Remember to use the hashtag #InternetFreedomAfrica and/or #FIFAfrica23!

Visit our extensive report library here.

Media Support

Send media queries to: [email protected]

  • Excited to be part of #FIFAfrica23 by @cipesaug, where we’ll dive into pressing issues shaping and informing #InternetFreedomAfrica. Together, we can forge a path towards a more open and inclusive digital landscape. See you there! www.internetfreedom.africa 
  • Calling all champions of internet freedom! #FIFAfrica23 is THE event to be at. Let’s amplify our collective voice for a free and open internet in Africa. Can’t wait to connect with you all!  #InternetFreedomAfrica @cipesaug
  • Thrilled to attend #FIFAfrica23 and discuss how we can advance digital rights in Africa. As a community, we’ll drive change, promote inclusivity, and foster innovation. See you at the forefront of this vital conversation online and offline! #InternetFreedomAfrica @cipesaug

Media Support. Send media queries to: [email protected]

Why Tanzania for the 2023 Edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa? 

By CIPESA Writer |

The tenth edition of the annual Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica23) is just under ten days away. The Collaboration in International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) will this year alongside the Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology of the United Republic of Tanzania host this special edition of FIFAfrica23 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This is in line with the country’s progressive shift to advance digitalisation for sustainable development. 

As at December 2022, Tanzania had over 60 million phone subscriptions, translating into a penetration rate of 98%, an estimated 31.1 million internet connections, and 40.9 million registered mobile money accounts. The national Development Plan and Tanzania Development Vision 2025 prioritise the digital economy and outline various intervention areas for accelerating broadband penetration, access, innovation, eServices and local content development, among others. Further, the National ICT Policy, 2016 recognises that ICT is central to social and economic transformation. 

Tanzania outperforms many other African countries in developing locally relevant mobile content and applications, including content in local languages. Tanzania was among the six African countries eligible to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP) at its launch back in 2011. Whereas the country later withdrew from the Partnership, its OGP Action Plans drawn up at the time, reflected Tanzania’s commitment to the four pillars of transparency, accountability, citizens’ participation, and technology and innovation. Indeed, among the reasons cited for the withdrawal from the OGP was its membership of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) whose objectives were similar to those of the OGP.

Notable government initiatives include the Tanzania National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) and the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) through which connectivity and infrastructure has been extended countrywide including in key sectors – education, health and gender equality. The Digital Tanzania Programme is also underway with  the aim to ​​”increase access to affordable, high quality internet services for government, businesses and citizens, and to improve the governments’ capacity to deliver digital public services”with three components: the Digital Ecosystem, Digital Connectivity, and Digital Government Platform and services. Meanwhile, the Data Protection and Privacy Bill tabled in 2014  was passed in November 2022.

Nonetheless, there have been concerns including a culture of secrecy among government officials, the cease of live broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings and disruptions to social media and online communication platforms. There has also been problematic legislation such as the restrictions on access to information under Statistics Act of 2015 as amended; mandatory registration and accreditation of journalists as well as harsh penalties under the  Media Services Act, 2016;  and the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, which criminalises offences related to computer systems and ICT.

According to the Global Connectivity Index of 2020, Tanzania is ranked 78 out of 79 countries in internet affordability. The high cost of access locks several Tanzanians out of the digital society.  In July 2021, Tanzania introduced a new airtime levy which users pay to telecom operators as they top-up airtime. The airtime tax, together with a 17% excise duty, 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) and a levy on mobile money transactions pose significant threats to the country’s progress in digital and financial inclusion. 

Under the leadership of its first female President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, a proponent for civil rights and women’s rights,has undergone reforms aimed at enhancing the country’s civic space and digitalisation agenda. Notably, proposals to amend the Online Content Regulations 2020 which entrenched the licensing and taxation of bloggers, online discussion forums, radio and television webcasters, and repressed online speech, privacy and access to information. The amendments contain various  positive elements such as removal of some ambiguous specification of obligations of service providers, the reduction of licensing fees, annual and renewal fees, and certainty of definitions of  “online media content services” and “online content aggregators”.

The amendments also relieved internet café operators from a number of obligations, including installation of surveillance cameras; assignment of static public IP addresses to all computers used; keeping of proper service user register; and having mechanisms to filter access to prohibited contents which were hard for café operators to comply with. However, the regulations maintained that mainstream media licensees still require an Online Media Services Licence for simulcasting or re-publication of content through the internet.

As Tanzania navigates a path towards positioning itself as a progressive state, it presents a unique opportunity for learning and engagement on the future of technology in Africa for economic growth, civic participation, meaningful connectivity and human rights.

The main Forum event takes place on 28-29 September 2023 and is preceded by a series invite-only pre-events (26-27 September 2023) which entail workshops, trainings and strategic meetings.  See the event agenda and speakers!

CIPESA Joins International Initiative to Develop “AI Charter in Media”

By CIPESA Writer |

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has joined a conglomeration of  international organisations and experts to develop a charter aimed at guiding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the media. 

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSJ), the group that is coordinating the development of the Charter, 16 partner organisations, as well as 31 media, AI and academic professionals representing 18 different nationalities, are involved in the process. The CIPESA Executive Director, Dr. Wairagala Wakabi, is among the experts on the committee that is led by journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa.

The RSJ stated that the growing interest in the project highlights the real need to clearly and collaboratively develop an ethical framework to safeguard information integrity, at a time when generative AI and other algorithm-based technologies are being rapidly deployed in the news and information sphere.

Part of the committee’s responsibility is to develop a set of principles, rights, and obligations for information professionals regarding the use of AI-based systems, by the end of 2023. This is a response to the realisation that the rapid deployment of AI in the media industry presents a major threat to information integrity.

See here details about the initiative, the partner organisations and experts.

Call for Applications: Digital Rights Hub for African CSOs

Announcement |

The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) in conjunction with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is pleased to invite applications from representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs), lawyers and human rights defenders (HRDs) interested in pursuing collective advocacy strategies to address and respond to current and emerging threats to digital freedoms in Africa.

Successful applicants will constitute a “Dights Rights Hub” – a community of practice and strategic platform that will bring together traditional CSOs, lawyers and HRDs from across Africa to actively advance an enabling digital civic space on the continent.

The Hub will aim to; (i) promote enabling legal and policy frameworks governing digital rights at the national or local level, including through pushing back against current and emerging legislative threats/restrictions; and (ii) enhance civil society’s ability to exercise digital rights through targeted awareness creation and capacity building initiatives, research, strategic litigation, and engagement with multilateral mechanisms at the regional and international level.
ICNL and CIPESA will hold the pilot Digital Rights Hub training on September 26-27,
2023, in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Read here for further details.