Govt could regulate internet use if abuse continues – Ursula warns

Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has revealed that the government will not hesitate to intervene to curtail abuse of the internet.

Even though it is not part of the agenda of the government to regulate internet usage in the country, the Member of Parliament (MP) says the state will be compelled to act if the trend does not reverse.

Her comments come on the back of the misuse of social media and internet-based nefarious activities.

Even before the 2020 polls, the spread of fake news in social media circles has been rife. Criminals have impersonated government officials with numerous fake accounts to swindle unsuspecting members of the public.

Cybercrime has also been a challenge for the law enforcement agencies as culprits find ways to outwit crime-fighting agencies.

Issues about internet security took the spotlight during the freedom online conference in Accra on Thursday.

Government is already implementing measure and expanding infrastructure for areas that lack access to the internet across the country.

On the sidelines of the event, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful was emphatic that: “If we don’t self-regulate the state will be compelled to put in place the mechanisms to regulate our usage of the internet”.

“In certain countries, there have been calls for social media to be shut down because of its abuse,” she said, noting that it is not in the interest of the government to embark on such a move.

She was quick to highlight the responsible use of the internet to secure the privacy of all citizens online – children, the vulnerable – and to ensure that people do not overstep their bounds.

She pointed out that in crafting cybersecurity laws “we should also be mindful of individual liberties and freedoms so we strike that fine balance between all these competing needs in protecting the citizens, protecting the security of the state and ensuring that the internet is available for lawful use by all and not restricting its usage while protecting the vulnerable online.”

This is not the first time a government appointee is toying with the idea of closing the internet valve.

In May 2016, the Ghana Police Service considered shutting down social media services in the country on  December 7, the day of the general elections.

The then  Inspector-General of Police, John Kudalor, dropped the hint under disguise when he said the abuse of social media platforms by both political parties and ordinary Ghanaians has often created unnecessary tension in the country.

“At one stage I said that if it becomes critical on the eve and also on the election day, we shall block all social media as other countries have done. We’re thinking about it,” Mr Kudalor said.

But internet shutdowns/regulations are not new to developing democracies.

India, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iraq are some countries that restricted the use of the internet.

In Africa, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Uganda, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and DR Congo have also rolled out social media and internet blocks.

In 2007, the first recorded digital shutdown was recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. This was on the orders of Guinea’s former President Lansana Conté in the wake of protests for his resignation.

Following that incident, an estimated 26 out of Africa’s 54 states have overseen a network disruption over the years.