Rise in internet shutdowns: Experts canvases proactive steps

<p><strong>Mr. Remmy Nweke</strong>, lead strategist at <strong>DigitalSENSE </strong>Africa Media group, has said laid out some proactive steps to checkmate the rising Internet shut downs across Africa.</p> <p>Speaking 2018 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (<strong>FIFAfrica2018</strong>) which held at La Palm Beach Resort, Accra, Ghana, Nweke advised both media entities and digital rights defenders-based civil society organization,no matter the size to ensure they have an online regulatory desk.</p> <p>He also urged digital rights inclined civil society organisations to ensure they have regulatory officers, who should ordinarily interface with law makers and policy makers at the government levels.</p> <p>Armed with these proactive options, Nweke said both the media, practitioners and <strong>CSO </strong>will checkmate the obnoxious laws ahead of time, especially as they pose threat to Internet development on the continent.</p> <p>&ldquo;These options will help stakeholders to see early enough some of the inclines of gagging and stifling media especially online and alarm could be triggered for early-sign warnings to the larger society, sensitization and rejection of such moves,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p>Nweke who spoke extensively at the session on &ldquo;Trends in online regulation in Africa&rdquo; during FiFAfrica 2018, was accompanied in the panel by Sakah Bernard Nsaidzedze of Pan African University in Cameroun; Legal practitioner and media trainer, <strong>Mr. Zakaria Tanko Musah</strong> of Ghana Institute of Journalism, an independent analyst, <strong>Nanjala Nyabola,</strong> and <strong>Sellina Sheena Nkowani</strong> from the Nation Publications, Malawi.</p>