The African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA) has submitted a comprehensive report to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, addressing the critical digital rights challenges that have emerged during Africa’s Super Election Year (2023–2025).
Our submission highlights how the internet has been used to both empower and suppress civic participation, examining issues such as internet shutdowns, disinformation, political microtargeting, content moderation, and digital surveillance.
Key Findings from Our Submission
1. Internet Shutdowns and Network Disruptions
A growing number of African governments have used internet blackouts and social media restrictions to control political narratives during elections.
- Mozambique (2024): Amid post-election protests, authorities shut down the internet, restricting opposition voices while allowing state-run media to continue operating.
- Senegal (2024): Before a postponed presidential election, the government blocked mobile internet access, citing “security concerns,” significantly affecting opposition mobilisation.
- Zimbabwe (2023): Authorities throttled internet speeds and blocked social media platforms on election day, making it difficult for independent observers to report irregularities.
These deliberate disruptions undermine electoral transparency, suppress dissent, and violate fundamental digital rights.
2. Disinformation and Misinformation
False information—both state-sponsored and opposition-driven—has been a major challenge in recent elections:
- In Nigeria (2023), political parties used microtargeting techniques to spread tailored disinformation online.
- In Kenya (2022), a Mozilla investigation found TikTok’s weak content moderation policies enabled the spread of manipulated images and ethnic hate speech during elections.
- Fact-checking coalitions in Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria have emerged as crucial tools in countering election-related disinformation.
3. Political Microtargeting & Content Moderation
The use of data analytics in elections—often without transparency—raises concerns about voter manipulation. AIRA’s report highlights:
- The need for stronger policies regulating digital political advertising, particularly in contexts where platforms fail to moderate election-related misinformation effectively.
- The lack of adequate safeguards against voter profiling, disproportionately affects marginalised communities.
4. State Responses to Electoral Protests
Governments’ handling of protests during elections has been widely inconsistent:
- Mozambique (2024): Post-election demonstrations were violently repressed, leading to deaths.
- Guinea (2023–2024): Protesters opposing military rule faced violent crackdowns, with dozens killed and opposition parties banned.
- Ghana (2024): In contrast, authorities allowed peaceful demonstrations, reinforcing a more democratic approach to assembly rights.
AIRA’s Recommendations
To protect digital rights and civic engagement during elections, AIRA urges:
- An end to internet shutdowns: Governments must guarantee open, unrestricted internet access, particularly during electoral periods.
- Stronger fact-checking initiatives: Tech platforms should collaborate with African CSOs to prevent the spread of election-related disinformation.
- Privacy protections in political campaigning: Laws must regulate political microtargeting and voter data collection, preventing digital voter manipulation.
- Greater transparency in content moderation: Social media platforms need to improve election-related content policies to ensure fair and unbiased moderation.
- Respect for peaceful assembly rights: Law enforcement should adopt de-escalation strategies instead of responding to protests with force.
Why This Matters
Africa’s Super Election Year is a defining moment for democracy on the continent. As digital spaces become battlegrounds for political influence, the protection of online freedoms is more critical than ever.
Through this submission, AIRA urges the UN and international stakeholders to hold governments and tech companies accountable for ensuring fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes.
Want to learn more? Read our full submission:African Internet Rights Alliance _ Reflections on the Super Election Year and Its Global Impact on the Protection of Human Rights
