DIn a speech at the University of Westminster, as part of the work of an international conference on the theme of “the regulation of digital media and its challenges for the global South”, Latifa Akharbach noted that “the reality of digital risks on the continent is not sufficiently known at the international level and the accountability measures already put in place for global digital players do not take into account African contexts”.
Supporting his point with numerous examples and statistics, Akharbach asserted that “the question of the resistance of democracies in the face of information disorders in the new reality of the public space, transformed by private and economically and technologically powerful digital actors, has acquired particular acuteness in Africa”.
“In addition to the persistence of the digital divide and electronic illiteracy, there are several vulnerabilities for the continent induced by the growing domination of social networks as a source of information and a space for political engagement exposed to all kinds of interference. and instrumentalizations”, explained the president of the HACA, who also chairs the Network of African bodies of Communication Regulatory Authorities.
Furthermore, the latter reiterated HACA’s commitment to the online rights of African users of global digital platforms, expressing the wish to see the geopolitical vision of Big Tech evolve with regard to the continent.
In the meantime, she continued, “despite the mobilization of African public authorities, global digital players continue to invest in infrastructure allowing them to expand their African market without correlation with the means and efforts made to guarantee African users a secure digital environment that respects their rights”.
Organized by the Communication and Media Research Institute, a world-renowned research center at the School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster in London, this conference brought together experts, researchers, university lecturers and activists from North and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
The HACA president was accompanied at this conference by Latifa Tayah, director of the Studies and Development department within the Moroccan regulatory body.
(with MAP)
