The government wants people to get a 'social media license'

folarin okunola

May 22, 2017 2:28 PM

Here in Nigeria, the legislature has proposed bills seeking to regulate OTT services like WhatsApp and Skype, as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on March 2, 2017

Yet another attempt is being made by an African government to invade its citizen’s basic right to privacy. The Egyptian government is considering a bill which, if passed into law, could require Egyptian citizens to register with the government to be able to use social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

According to a report by iAfrikan, the bill is said to have been drafted and proposed by a member of Egypt’s parliament, Riad Abdul Sattar, and it proposes that all Egyptians should seek a government issued license to use social media platforms.

Per the draft, Egyptians would need to provide the following to secure a “social media license”:

Full Name
Egyptian ID Number
E-mail address to be used
Username/s to be used on the social media platform/s
Social media platforms the person requires a license for

The bill also recommends that anyone who uses social media without securing a license be liable to prosecution by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior. Egypt has also partially shut down WhatsApp, Skype and FaceTime before.

ALSO READ: Government completes long-delayed 4G mobile licence deals

This follows a similar proposal by the CEO of Kenya’s Film and Classification Board, Ezekiel Mutua, which seeks for a law that would prohibit Kenyans from using pseudonyms on social media. Just like the Egyptian scenario, Mutua’s proposal also requires Kenyans to register with the government before being able to use social media.

This is one of many instances across the African continent where governments have thought up ridiculous things like this. Here in Nigeria, the legislature and regulatory bodies have tried to regulate OTT services like WhatsApp and Skype, as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

More recently, Cameroonian president, Paul Biya, ordered the shut down of Internet access in English-speaking parts of the country, after the country’s Anglophone citizens protested systemic oppression. The shutdown of Internet lasted 93 days despite condemnation of the act by several international bodies including the United Nations (UN).

There seems to be pattern at play here: African governments are only beginning to understand the power of social media and see it as a problem (because it enables their citizens hold them accountable) instead of a tool for empowerment (just look at the amount of lives that have been changed through the power of social media and causes that have been fought for).

Apart from the redundancy of initiatives like this, there needs to be an active discussion around how African governments can be stopped from infringing on people’s freedom as they see fit. Africa needs to build systems that truly puts power in the hands of the people. How else are supposed to be great with the current crop of backward-thinking leaders we have across the continent?

folarin okunola

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!