The role of the internet in governance and cyber activism

I recently chanced upon a publication written by Mark Nartey and Yating Yu titled "A Discourse Analytic Study of #FixTheCountry on Ghanaian Twitter." The publication piqued my interest because it explored how the Internet can be used as an effective platform for activism in Ghana.

Focusing on the #FixTheCountry campaign, the authors analyzed how social media was utilized to highlight social inequalities. They delved into how the cyber activism campaign was used to portray the Ghanaian government as irresponsible, depicted citizens as victims, and placed a call to action. The campaign effectively mobilized a large number of people, leading to an offline nationwide protest.

This sparked my interest in examining the role of the Internet from the perspective of governance and activism. The internet has significantly grown to influence how we are governed and who governs us.

Originally, the Internet began as a network used by the United States Department of Defense in the 1960s, known as the Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET), for sharing resources among remote computer systems. It was liberalized and opened for broader use by research agencies and civilians by the Clinton administration in the early 1990s, allowing greater public access. This contributed immensely to its growth to become an interconnected and multi-stakeholder global platform serving diverse interests.

Today, the Internet is a global network of commuters connecting millions to computers to be able to share information and other resources using standardized communication protocols. It is used to access information, such as news, health, education, and entertainment. It facilitates communication, trade, and new business models, creating job opportunities in fields like software development, social media management, and content creation. Governments use the Internet for various functions, such as enabling citizens to apply for services such as passports and birth certificates, file tax returns, and provide information that the public needs to know.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw various governments instituting lockdowns as a health intervention measure to reduce its spread. The internet was used as a means for disseminating information during that period. Some state workers were asked to work from home via the internet. Students accessed educational content online, reducing the impact of their long stay at home on their academic work.

However, the use of the Internet is not without its challenges. While it serves as a platform that enables citizens to demand accountability from the government, it has the tendency to be abused. There are countless instances where the Internet has been used as a medium for hate speech, unsubstantiated allegations, cybercrime, and the unauthorized exposure of confidential information. These have marred the hard-earned reputations of individuals, corporations, and state institutions. Additionally, hackers and malicious actors have been successful in disrupting critical national infrastructure.

Tahil Square in Egypt was the focal point in 2011, where over 50,000 protesters were mobilized via online activism, leading to a revolution and the subsequent overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak. Recently, Kenya saw young people who call themselves “Gen-Zees” trooping to the streets, almost to the point of destabilizing the once peaceful nation. These are but a few examples of what can go wrong when cyber activism catches on with a large number of emotionally charged actors participating, leading to extreme and unexpected consequences.

Although citizens have the opportunity to express their displeasure over something they are not happy with or demand a better standard of living, quality healthcare, water supply, education, employment opportunities, electricity, and better working conditions via a medium as powerful as the Internet, it must be done in a civil manner and in conformity with the laws of Ghana.

To address these challenges, it is crucial for various stakeholders—including the judiciary, police, the National Communication Authority (NCA), and civil society organizations like the Internet Society—to work together to ensure that the Internet remains a safe and stable resource for all. Protecting the internet as a public resource requires vigilance and cooperation to prevent its abuse and maintain its role as a force for good.