How can content published across social media networks be regulated? This is a thorny issue that media regulators in Africa have attempted to address.
Social media certainly increases access to information, but its use by users also leaves room for many abuses, including misinformation. To combat this scourge and provide a framework for the digital platforms that are exploding across the continent, initiatives are multiplying.
In line with this approach, Cameroon's National Communications Council and the Network of African Communications Regulators organized an international forum on November 8 on the theme: Social media regulation: ways of collaboration between African media regulators and digital platforms. Participants were invited to share their experiences on possible collaborations between digital platforms and media regulators in order to implement a cross-cutting and concerted approach to social media regulation. As a reminder, according to the CM community in Africa, Cameroon had 4.5 million active social media users in 2022.
Recently, Côte d'Ivoire has taken a firm stance on the issue of content regulation. On October 26, the HACA, in collaboration with bloggers and influencers, adopted the first-ever agreement aimed at regulating social media within the country.
“If we aspire to a fair and equitable society, we must put in place effective legal mechanisms that protect the rights of every citizen. The web, which has become a platform for ordinary citizens to express themselves, must have a minimum set of rules. Côte d'Ivoire has nearly 7 million social media users. When we consider the impact that bloggers, activists, and influencers can have on the behavior of internet users, regulation is essential in the world of content creators," said Rita Pascale Kwaminan, President of the Association of Bloggers of Côte d'Ivoire, in an interview with Adweknow.
This agreement enables the implementation of a Social Media Charter incorporating seven key principles to regulate and promote positive digital citizenship on the web.