Social Networks – Africa Tech Digest

Should you worry if Twitter succumbs to Nigerian government’s demands?

2Oct

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Social Networks

Should you worry if Twitter succumbs to Nigerian government’s demands?

Again, Nigerians have been promised the lifting of the four-month-long Twitter ban. After the last promise in August of ‘a few days’ given by the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his Independence Day speech, today mentioned that the ban would be lifted conditionally based on the fulfilment of some obligations by the social media giant. Recall that in early June 2021, the Nigerian government indefinitely suspended Twitter after the platform removed a Tweet by the president for violating its rules. An infringement on citizens’ right to free speech, this move has drawn reactions from human rights advocacy groups across the country. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), for instance, filed an appeal at the ECOWAS court in Abuja askin...

Nigeria’s President gives conditions to be met before lifting Twitter ban

1Oct

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Nigeria, Social Networks

Nigeria’s President gives conditions to be met before lifting Twitter ban

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has said the suspension of the operations of Twitter in the country will end only if the company meets certain conditions, such as the setting up of a local unit and payment of taxes. Buhari listed these conditions during a broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 61st Independence anniversary on Friday, October 1. The Nigerian government suspended Twitter’s operations in June, following the social media platform’s decision to delete a tweet by Buhari, which it said breached the site’s rules. The state’s decision to ban Twitter triggered widespread criticism as online-based businesses recorded huge losses; lawsuits; and national assembly hearings meant to probe the circumstances leading to the ban. According to the president, a committee constituted ...

Facebook Launches Campaign to Take on Fake News in Nigeria

11Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Nigeria, Social Networks, Telecommunications

Facebook Launches Campaign to Take on Fake News in Nigeria

Facebook is collaborating with Nigerian companies Big Cabal Media and Comic Republic to launch the #NoFalseNewsZone educational campaign aimed at helping individuals identify fake news and educate them on how to minimise the spread of false information across Nigeria’s internet and otherwise. “We are super excited to be working with Big Cabal Media and Comic Republic to launch #NoFalseNewsZone in Nigeria,” said Oluwasola Obagbemi, Facebook’s Corporate Communications Manager for Anglophone West Africa, quoted by the Guardian Nigeria. Obagbemi says that the social media giant is committed to the well-being of individuals and communities. Continue reading

Twitter is Planning to Let Users Hide Old, Embarrassing Tweets

5Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Social Networks

Twitter is Planning to Let Users Hide Old, Embarrassing Tweets

Twitter is planning the addition of new privacy features on its platforms, one of which will reportedly be the inclusion of an option that will allow the archiving of old tweets so that they are only visible to other users after a set period of time (like 30, 60 or 90 days to a full year). Other options could possibly include a feature to limit who can see which tweets you’ve liked, an option to allow people to remove themselves from a conversation on Twitter and to allow people to remove followers without having to block them. According to The Verge, these new features, still in the concept phase, are being described as a “social privacy” suite of options aimed at making more people comfortable with engaging on Twitter. Continue reading

Ethiopia is Building Local Social Media to Rival Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp

25Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Africans in Tech, Apps, Social Networks

Ethiopia is Building Local Social Media to Rival Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp

Ethiopia has begun development on its own social media platforms to rival US-based social networks like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. The state communications security agency said on Monday that the country does not have any plans to block the global services, as per Reuters. Instead, according to the director general of Ethiopia’s Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Shumete Gizaw, the government wants its public platforms to “replace” Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Zoom. Shumete also accused Facebook of deleting posts and user accounts that he said were “disseminating the true reality about Ethiopia.” The country has been embroiled in a major armed conflict since last year, which pits the Federal Government against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), an armed gr...

WhatsApp and other social media platforms restricted in Zambia amidst ongoing elections

16Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa, Social Networks, Telecommunications

WhatsApp and other social media platforms restricted in Zambia amidst ongoing elections

Several users from Zambia have taken to Twitter informing the general public that WhatsApp has been restricted in the country amidst ongoing general elections today. The president and parliamentary elections culminate in a face-off between current President Edgar Lungu and opposition Hakainde Hichilema. Internet monitoring organization Netblocks further corroborated these reports, adding that multiple internet providers in Zambia had restricted access to the American social messaging platform. Some of these networks include Zambian government-owned Zamtel, Airtel Zambia, Liquid Telecom and MTN. Continue reading (Image Credits: Unsplash)

Facebook to Expand Planned Undersea Cable Network in Africa

16Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Social Networks

Facebook to Expand Planned Undersea Cable Network in Africa

Facebook Inc. and some of the world’s largest telecommunications carriers, China Mobile Ltd. and MTN Group Ltd., are set to build a wider-than-earlier planned giant sub-sea cable in Africa. The companies plan to add the Indian Ocean island countries of Seychelles and Comoros, as well as Angola and a new connection to Nigeria, according to a statement released on Monday. This is in addition to a recently announced link to the Canary Islands and would bring connection-landings to 35 in 26 countries. Continue reading (Image Credits: Unsplash)

Twitter is changing the contrast of buttons again after complaints of eye strain

15Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Social Networks

Twitter is changing the contrast of buttons again after complaints of eye strain

The back and forth shows how important choices are for accessibility Twitter is readjusting the contrast on its buttons following feedback about its design updates from earlier this week. Some people have reported eye strain, headaches, and migraines due to the higher visual contrast in the colors of buttons and links, as well as the new font, Chirp. The changes in contrast also included a black follow button that’s filled in if you’re not following someone, which has caused confusion for many people who are used to it being the other way around. It’s not clear yet if that change will be reversed. As tends to happen any time a popular site changes its design, immediate reception to Twitter’s changes was mixed. It’s likely that some Twitter users would’ve gotten used to the update...

Nigeria to lift Twitter ban soon, minister says

12Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Social Networks, West Africa

Nigeria to lift Twitter ban soon, minister says

ABUJA, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Nigeria will soon lift its ban on Twitter (TWTR.N) after resolving some of its differences with the social media platform, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Wednesday, signalling the end of a policy widely condemned as an affront to freedom of expression. The Nigerian government suspended Twitter on June 4 after it removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists. Some telecoms companies subsequently blocked access to users in Nigeria. "The ban on Twitter will soon be lifted as we are getting close to reaching full agreement," Mohammed told reporters after a cabinet meeting. "We have agreed on some areas. Hopefully in the next few days or weeks we will conclude." Continue reading (Image Cre...

TikTok named as the most downloaded app of 2020

10Aug

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Social Networks

TikTok named as the most downloaded app of 2020

TikTok was the world's most downloaded app in 2020 as it took the top spot from Facebook Messenger, according to digital analytics company App Annie. The Chinese video-sharing platform is the only app not owned by Facebook to make the global top five of downloads. In its home country, TikTok's owner ByteDance also holds the top spot with the Chinese language video app Douyin. TikTok's continued popularity emerged even after former US President Donald Trump tried to ban it in America. Facebook-owned apps have held the top spot since the survey started in 2018 and the company still dominated the chart. Mark Zuckerberg's social media giant accounted for the rest of the top five with Facebook's flagship app as well as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger all making an app...