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Ghanaian government efforts to regulate online speech
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2026-09-28 07:23 UTC → 2026-09-29 01:23 UTC ·
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President John Dramani Mahama has initiated efforts to address online hate speech and abusive content on digital platforms in Ghana. He has tasked the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) with leading a national stakeholder engagement to develop a roadmap for managing harmful online conduct, such as threats and incitement. The President emphasized Speaking on the need to distinguish between harmful content and legitimate political commentary, satire, or dissent, expressing concern that arrests for mere criticism could undermine public confidence in state institutions. During sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Mahama specifically addressed the rising trend of personal attacks and insults on social media. Describing himself as having ‘crocodile skin’ due to his political experience, he questioned the justification for arresting social media users for making inflammatory or insulting remarks about public officials and officials. He called for a national conversation to determine the appropriate boundaries between legitimate political criticism and harmful content, specifically regarding the regulation of platforms like TikTok. In response to the President’s call for dialogue, Ghanaian dancehall artist Shatta Wale issued an open letter proposing a legal framework to combat social media defamation and harassment. While acknowledging the 1992 Constitution’s guarantees of freedom of speech, Shatta Wale argued that these rights should not license the spread of damaging falsehoods or public ridicule. His recommendations include developing clearly defined laws with independent judicial oversight and ensuring social media platforms cooperate with court-ordered requests to identify accounts involved in proven misconduct, while protecting satire and political expression. In support of media practitioners, the MFWA has launched a GH¢544,000 legal support fund, backed by the European Union, to protect journalists from Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits.
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- 2026-09-29 01:23 UTC Ghanaian government efforts to regulate online speech
- 2026-09-28 07:23 UTC Ghanaian government efforts to regulate online speech
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