Muharukua’s push to rein in social media
Curb hate speech, fake news and cyberbullying
According to the youthful parliamentarian, a social media regulatory framework will provide a balance between freedom of expression and rights to privacy.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) lawmaker Vipuakuje Muharukua wants a law that will police free speech on social media.
Speaking in the National Assembly last week, Muharukua said his proposal seeks to crack down on social media to curb hate speech, misinformation and cyberbullying.
"The establishment of a comprehensive social media regulatory framework is vital for Namibia in this digital age. For it will balance between freedom of expression and rights to privacy, leveraging the Access to Information Act and implementing mechanisms to address hate speech, misinformation and cyberbullying,” Muharukua said.
Some of the most popular social media platforms in Namibia include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok.
If Muharukua gets his way, in order to provide their services in Namibia, social media platforms will be required to adopt robust content moderation policies, reinforced by transparent reporting mechanisms and swift responses to reported cases.
“Additionally, partnerships with law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders will enhance the effectiveness of combatting these digital challenges in the era where Namibia is moving into the fourth industrial revolution,” he said.
Shutdowns
His proposal comes months after a Netherlands-based cyber security company, Surfshark, reportedly announced that it had recorded 42 new internet disruptions worldwide, nine of which occurred in Africa.
Six countries – Ethiopia, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan and Tanzania – accounted for those nine shutdowns. These enforced internet limits within their territory occurred during the first half of 2023.
Muharukua said the adverse impact of social media poses a significant threat to societal harmony and individual well-being.
Legal protections
Muharukua, a lawyer by profession, is of the view that those who cannot afford civil lawsuits do not have sufficient recourse avenues.
“There is recourse that affected individuals can take currently, when their reputation is tarnished and they are stripped of their dignity on social media through bullying, hate speech, victimisation, and so forth. We must, however, be mindful that when their constitutional rights are not effectively protected, the recourse, which is a civil lawsuit, is both cumbersome and costly for the average Namibian to undertake,” he said.
According to the youthful parliamentarian, a social media regulatory framework will provide a balance between freedom of expression and rights to privacy.
His proposal could spell more woes for tech giants running social media platforms who are already under pressure from governments who want to regulate speech, with many claiming that increased social media regulation could upend their business models.
Namibia’s headache
Incidents of cyberbullying and hate speech have been on the rise lately in Namibia, with a number of defamation matters ending up in court.
Just last year, First Lady Monica Geingos instituted a defamation lawsuit against northern-based school teacher Abed Hishoono for making false accusations against her in a video that was widely circulated.
Hishoono claimed Geingos was involved in the downfall of Air Namibia through her business interests in WestAir and that she is the girlfriend of Fishrot-accused James Hatuikulipi. He also claimed that Geingos conceived a child with Hatuikulipi and that he “supplied” Geingos as a wife to President Hage Geingob.
The court ruled in her favour and ordered Hishoono to retract his claims, apologise and subsequently pay N$250 000 as compensation.
Speaking in the National Assembly last week, Muharukua said his proposal seeks to crack down on social media to curb hate speech, misinformation and cyberbullying.
"The establishment of a comprehensive social media regulatory framework is vital for Namibia in this digital age. For it will balance between freedom of expression and rights to privacy, leveraging the Access to Information Act and implementing mechanisms to address hate speech, misinformation and cyberbullying,” Muharukua said.
Some of the most popular social media platforms in Namibia include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok.
If Muharukua gets his way, in order to provide their services in Namibia, social media platforms will be required to adopt robust content moderation policies, reinforced by transparent reporting mechanisms and swift responses to reported cases.
“Additionally, partnerships with law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders will enhance the effectiveness of combatting these digital challenges in the era where Namibia is moving into the fourth industrial revolution,” he said.
Shutdowns
His proposal comes months after a Netherlands-based cyber security company, Surfshark, reportedly announced that it had recorded 42 new internet disruptions worldwide, nine of which occurred in Africa.
Six countries – Ethiopia, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan and Tanzania – accounted for those nine shutdowns. These enforced internet limits within their territory occurred during the first half of 2023.
Muharukua said the adverse impact of social media poses a significant threat to societal harmony and individual well-being.
Legal protections
Muharukua, a lawyer by profession, is of the view that those who cannot afford civil lawsuits do not have sufficient recourse avenues.
“There is recourse that affected individuals can take currently, when their reputation is tarnished and they are stripped of their dignity on social media through bullying, hate speech, victimisation, and so forth. We must, however, be mindful that when their constitutional rights are not effectively protected, the recourse, which is a civil lawsuit, is both cumbersome and costly for the average Namibian to undertake,” he said.
According to the youthful parliamentarian, a social media regulatory framework will provide a balance between freedom of expression and rights to privacy.
His proposal could spell more woes for tech giants running social media platforms who are already under pressure from governments who want to regulate speech, with many claiming that increased social media regulation could upend their business models.
Namibia’s headache
Incidents of cyberbullying and hate speech have been on the rise lately in Namibia, with a number of defamation matters ending up in court.
Just last year, First Lady Monica Geingos instituted a defamation lawsuit against northern-based school teacher Abed Hishoono for making false accusations against her in a video that was widely circulated.
Hishoono claimed Geingos was involved in the downfall of Air Namibia through her business interests in WestAir and that she is the girlfriend of Fishrot-accused James Hatuikulipi. He also claimed that Geingos conceived a child with Hatuikulipi and that he “supplied” Geingos as a wife to President Hage Geingob.
The court ruled in her favour and ordered Hishoono to retract his claims, apologise and subsequently pay N$250 000 as compensation.
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