Abstract
Since violent protests erupted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, social media companies have aggressively censored politicians, including in Africa. Facebook removed a post by the Ethiopian prime minister for “inciting and supporting violence,” while Twitter deleted the Nigerian president’s tweet for “abusive behavior.” These decisions highlight the shift from the hands-off policy the leading social media companies have long approached political leaders with. As a response, African leaders, who have long targeted the platforms, are looking for ways to circumvent the constraints, including blocking citizens’ access to the platforms. Nigeria presents a rare case of an African government successfully compelling a major social media company to establish a local presence. Nigeria’s apparent success could inspire copycats across the region. What are the possible benefits and risks of emulating the Nigerian approach to have American tech companies agree to establish a legal presence, open offices, and name country representatives? Potential benefits include the companies paying taxes to local governments, creating much-needed employment opportunities, and appreciating local values and context when making content moderation policies and decisions. However, with this arrangement, there is a risk of spreading “collateral” or “delegated” censorship that would undermine democratic transitions in the region. Existing draconian laws could also be used to silence dissidents and further oppress marginalized groups. This paper examines the intensified tension between private ordering and government actors in the issue of content moderation and brings attention to the topic and the region which did not receive enough scholarly attention.
Presenters
Kirubel Tadesse AyetenfisuStudent, Graduate (doctoral) student, American University, District of Columbia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2022 Special Focus—Democratic Disorder: Disinformation, the Media and Crisis in a Time of Change
KEYWORDS
FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AFRICA, DEMOCRATIC TRANSITIONS, CENSORSHIP, JANUARY 6, SOCIAL MEDIA
