COMING UP!》ep.78 (Season 4; Ep.13): A Technical Perspective on Democracy; Technology; & Social Media Shutdown – a Conversation with E-Crime Bureau

Episode #78 
(Season 4; Ep.13):  
A Technical Perspective on Democracy; Technology; & Social Media Shutdown   – a Conversation with E-Crime Bureau

Season 4 is STILL on the theme of “making money for Africa”.

We commenced the Season unpacking the nitty-gritty of the Creative Economy, and concluded that Film, more than any other cog in the Creative Economy wheel, was probably the most dominant within that Economy.

In episode 2, we appreciated how, if managed properly, Sports could become the biggest employer in Ghana, the sub region, and the Continent.

In episode 3, we started to treat the all-important topic of customer service, concluding that, Ghana can achieve an “insanely customer-centric culture” as seen in the West, but it takes exposure and training of frontline staff to do that.

In episode 4, we concluded that East Africa continues to rise, while episode 5 helped demystify Africa's agriculture under the AU's flagship programme of CAADP, concluding that issues around Agribusiness and nutrition will dominate discussions around Agriculture after the 12th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting that was held in Accra mid-April.

In episode 6, we piggy-backed on the *UNCTAD E-Commerce week* that took place from 18-22 April in Geneva, concluding the show on Cyber-crime with the shocking conclusion that Ghana's Cyber-awareness is at a shockingly low threshold.

Episode 7 saw us in a conversation with the West Africa Civil Society Institute for updates on latest activities, and publications, concluding that it was necessary to have a conversation about African philanthropy.

Episode 8 shone the spotlight on AfriTourism for the fourth time, concluding that the “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa” venture, which was unveiled at a Marketing competition at the University of Ghana Business School in April, needs immense support as it has put cocoa very significantly into conversations around tourism.

Episode 9 sought to unpack Model ECOWAS Summit that took place on ECOWAS Day – 28 May, 2016. Episode 10 was a reflective one on Africa Day, whereas

In the second edition for the month of June, we are yet-again reflecting.

The proposal by the Ghana police a few weeks ago to consider the banning of social media on Election Day prompted immense speculation among the populace that Ghana wanted to go the way of Chad's Deby in the April elections and Uganda's Museveni in the March one.

 With just five months before Ghana's general elections, it's important to help the technical experts help us better-understand the nexus between democracy and technology, which an Aspen Idea Blogger described as having “a chilling effect on democracy in some troubled parts of the world”.

When that blogger wrote that in August 2014, Ghana hardly fit the description of a “troubled” part of the world. Some may argue that in 2016, it still doesn't fit. So it begs the question of why those who are mandated to protect and serve us may feel inclined to over-protect us with a social media ban.

Is the proposal for a social media ban a simple case of the Ghana Police Service inhibiting our freedom of speech, or is it, rather, a simple case of the Ghana Police jumping on the bandwagon of regressing freedoms – even if for one day.

The question of precedents – bad ones – cannot be lost over us in this discussion, for the fact that Chad and Uganda (not necessarily known for their democratic dispensations) have set controversial ones does not foreclose the fact that in the event Ghana does go through with it, it will cast a dark shadow on Ghana's enjoyment and entrenchment of democratic freedoms since 1992.

What does E-crime Bureau think about it all?  

Join us if you can at 14h05 on Wednesday 15 June, 2016


Call us on the following number
+233(302)777.173

Guiding questions
Does the proposal to shut down social media on Election Day point to the absence and/or weakness in a Ghana Police Service Social Media Strategy?

Is it less inhibiting to free speech to have a Social Media Shutdown than a law on Social media?

Is the proposed shutdown an indirect attack on the youth – a demographic that actively uses the medium?


Guest in the studio
Ø E-Crime Bureau representative



************************more details will be available soon on www.africainfocusradioshow.org ; africainfocusshow.blogspot.com.

*Follow the conversations on #AfricainFocus on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14.

*Tweet Emmanuel ahead of time on www.twitter.com/ekbensah, using #africainfocus .

*Follow 24/7 on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radioxyzonline.pc
Call Radio XYZ93.1FM on +233(302)777.173