Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz, Michigan State University COVID-19 pushed much of the world into the digital realm for everything from schooling and work to religious worship and dating. At the same time, many governments were turning data connections off. Full or partial shutdowns of the internet and social media are increasingly common parts of the “digital authoritarian” […]
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The Government of Uganda has partially restored access to social media, a month after it was blocked. Mr Peter Ogwang, State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, said in a tweet on Wednesday, “Internet and Social media services have been fully restored. We apologize for the inconveniences caused, but it was for the security of […]
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As Ugandans prepared to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections on 14 January 2021, more and more of the internet gradually slipped out of reach. The disruption started on 9 January with digital distribution platforms App Store and Play store; followed by social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Instant messaging platforms WhatsApp […]
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Internet shutdowns in Sub-Saharan Africa have cost the region up to US$ 237 million since 2015, according to a report by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). Using a newly developed framework, the report estimates the cost of internet shutdowns in 10 African countries, and notes that the economic […]
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