Digital rights report shows global freedom declines

Digital rights report shows global freedom declines

Slightly more than half of 65 nations reviewed in the new Freedom on the Net 2019 report show a decline in access, democratic protections for speech, and related Internet and social media rights – with Sudan showing one of the biggest drops and Zimbabwe not far behind. The annual report…

Twitter, Facebook announce new moves to limit political abuses

Twitter, Facebook announce new moves to limit political abuses

Both Twitter and Facebook made big announcements on Wednesday, as the social media companies seek to curb fake accounts, abuse in political ads, and the potential to spread fake news or incite violence through hate speech. Facebook announced it removed three Russia-linked networks of accounts, pages and groups that targeted…

Zambia says fraud, fake news demand stricter digital-platform laws

Zambia’s communications minister is defending the southern African nation’s plans to more tightly control social media use, saying the government is concerned about scams and other Internet abuses. Brian Mushimba, the Transport and Communications minister, said in a statement issued Friday that more than 600 Zambians have lost tens of…

Museveni defends Uganda’s new social media tax

President Yoweri Museveni, known for the occasionally wordy post on whatever topic is at hand, has taken to Facebook to defend a controversial tax, imposed on social media and money mobile users, that went into effect at the beginning of July. Museveni pointedly said he wanted to use social media…

Cameroon shuts down Amnesty International media event

An Amnesty International press conference planned in Cameroon was shut down by security agents on Wednesday, although the human rights organization says it complied with prior notification laws ahead of the event. Managers at the hotel  in Yaoundé, where the Amnesty meeting was planned, were told by officials to shut…