Digital Dictatorship versus Digital Democracy in Africa

The document examines the transition of digital technologies from tools of democratic empowerment to instruments of state control in Africa. It distinguishes between 'hard' digital dictatorship, characterized by internet shutdowns and restrictive legislation, and 'soft' digital dictatorship, involving the use of big data and disinformation to manipulate public behavior. While hard tactics are currently more prevalent in Africa, the author warns of a shift toward more sophisticated, data-driven manipulation.

• The document defines 'digital democracy' as the use of electronic platforms to increase public participation in politics, while 'digital dictatorship' involves governments using technology to monitor citizens' movements, habits, and thoughts with unchecked power to manage perceptions and limit opposing views.
• African governments frequently employ 'hard digital dictatorship' through reactive measures such as internet shutdowns to maintain power. Between 2016 and 2017, the continent experienced nearly 119 internet shutdowns and 43 social media blackouts.
• Specific examples of hard digital dictatorship include the Democratic Republic of Congo's total block on internet and SMS services after the December 2018 presidential poll, and Zimbabwe's January 2019 internet shutdown used to quell protests against economic measures.
• Some East African nations use legislative tactics as a form of hard digital dictatorship. Uganda introduced a social media tax in July 2018 that led to a decline of over 2.5 million internet users, while Tanzania implemented the Electronic and Postal Communications Online Content Regulations Act in 2018, including a $924 licensing fee for bloggers.
• 'Soft digital dictatorship' is rising in prominence, involving the use of data and social media to spread disinformation and manipulate citizen behavior. Examples include the Bell Pottinger disinformation campaign in South Africa in 2017 and the use of fake news during election cycles in Kenya and Nigeria.
• Internet shutdowns have significant economic and safety costs. Since 2015, such shutdowns have cost sub-Saharan Africa approximately $237 million, and they hinder public safety by preventing access to emergency services and news.

APA

Gopaldas, R. (2019). Digital Dictatorship versus Digital Democracy in Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Policy-Insights-75-gopaldas.pdf

Chicago

Gopaldas, Ronak. Digital Dictatorship versus Digital Democracy in Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2019. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Policy-Insights-75-gopaldas.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gopaldas |first1=Ronak |title=Digital Dictatorship versus Digital Democracy in Africa |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=October 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Policy-Insights-75-gopaldas.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gopaldas2019digital, author = {Gopaldas, Ronak}, title = {{Digital Dictatorship versus Digital Democracy in Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Policy-Insights-75-gopaldas.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }