With panels on citizen journalism vs digital media, digital diplomacy, tackling emerging digital threats, reframing the climate change agenda on social media, impact of social media on mental health, the state of social media and elections in Africa, among others. The conference was held virtually and key take aways include the impact of Big Tech companies on the nature of conversations together with the African way of blocking Social media platforms.

Big Tech Companies should be checked

Off the Topic, Digitial Diplomacy: The rise of algorithms and implications for big tech in African institutions, governments and individuals moderated by Alex Talemwa, a digital journalist and Academia at Agah Khan university Kenya, Big Tech companies were noted as brands with excessive power on social media.

Facebook in particular silenced Pro-NRM bloggers in Uganda which later resulted into an indefinate ban of the platform in Uganda. Also, Facebook has silenced many users from other countries sighting violation of its terms and conditions bringing to book a mighty question, do Big tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, Google hold to much power on Social media?

The founder of Africa Leo Institute and former director at the Government citizen interaction center, Awel Uwihangye notes that over 2.5 Million users continue to use Facebook through VPNs despite the platform being blocked in Uganda. More so, the recent Facebook action to permanently ban NRM bloggers in Uganda proved that the company can silence anyone on the platform and not face any serious effects from it.

“I don’t support the Facebook ban. If it were up to me, I would not have blocked the platform in Uganda but I understand the frustration of the authorities that did. You cannot be in the middle of an election and you hear that your supporters have been suspended off a platform for no explainable reason.”

Said Uwihanganye at the conference.

Social Media as a tool of change

Across the world, Social media has become a tool for change, a tool activists use to demand for change, and an avenue customers use to express their views on brands and services online. However, with change comes new challenges and ways to express views by leveraging social media.

Discussed on a panel moderated by Denis Nabende; the URBS corporate affairs manager, on the Topic Citizen Journalism vs Digital newsrooms, Blanche Musinguzi – a journalist with Africa report noted that Social media alone can’t cause change, but rather, a mix with ordinary media makes change diverse and easily achievable.

A tweet cannot bring change. There are a lot of things that happen in the backend of these movements.

During the George Floyd protests there was a lot of mobilization. Text messages. emails, phone calls

Said Blanche Musinguzi – Journalist, Africa Report

Furthermore, panellists agreed that many social movements tend to rise and end online. Social movements create awareness about an issue. But it’s always how organized they are, and the commitment of the contributors to find a solution as per the movement’s cause. So, if social media is to bring change, It should not always end with just a hashtag, but involve physical action if users are to force change.

Dealing with Fake News on Social Media

Social media is a great tool of communication, but with it comes a very big challenge that has become popular across the world. Misinformation has become a daily mover on the Internet and social media is a super spreader through which malicious users forge and spread fake news to millions of consumers daily.

In fact, Mis Infomation has led to the suspensions of social media during elections mostly in Africa and some parts of the world. Also, this has painted a false image for social media as a bad platform utilized by the youth to spread malicious information hence affecting youth-led online businesses and user perceptions.

On a panel moderated by Opolot Nicholas: the Progmmae officer at KAS Uganda and South Sudan with the topic “tackling emerging digital threats: extremism, trafficking and radicalization”. Panalists discussed on the impact of fake news and how users can safe guard themselves form being carriers of misinformation.

Panelists including Besigye Andrew – a public policy expert at the Ministry of ICt, Ojok Okello – the founder Okere City, Agnes Igoye – the deputy national coordinator for prevention of trafficking in persona dn Lynna Abaho – the Labour support officer at Ministry of Gender agreed that it is important to learn to distugungish and filter information found on socoail media to limit the spread of fake news on social media platforms.

Question everything you come across online. Double check the sources before you share, reshare or invest your time & resources in. That’s how we (as internet users) shall be able to defeat extremism, online trafficking among other digital threats.

Lynna Abaho – Labour Support officer, Ministry of Gender

With public and private sector stakeholders, government, civil society, policymakers and researchers will meet to discuss the impact of Social Media on society. Additionally, the effects of the COVID19 Pandemic on social media uptake in Uganda has ignited a new wave of Netizens making the virtual community space a priority than ever before.

However, with active sanctions from African Governments and other challenges affecting Social Media and information flow, the 2021 Uganda Social media Conference will be a spotlight for discussions on how users can overcome these sanction effects and what the future holds for Social Media usage in Africa as speakers will highlight under set topics for the event.

Digital Diplomacy: The rise of algorithms and implications of big tech in African Institutions, Governments, and Individuals

The coined phrase “digital diplomacy” is widely used in the context of Internet governance debates and digital policy-making. Social media portrays different realities with different narratives promoted by various actors. This poses new challenges like biased algorithms, online censorship, targeted manipulation, and the like.

As the past few years have shown, social media platforms are not simple tools of engagement, they are huge business empires influencing our ideas, our actions, and our politics. Social media sites are less seemingly neutral conduits of information and idea exchange. Their recommendation engines and algorithms are deciding what speeches to amplify, and what to give less attention to.

Social media algorithms steer us into groups and conversations — factual or not. They’re selling tools to advertisers — which can include political operatives — that target us with certain types of speech. And their leaders make intentional, political decisions on which policies to enforce when, and whose voices are important for their business needs. One of the most important debates of our time is around who should govern the internet. Who should be held accountable?

Impact of social media on mental health: Hitting the pause button

While many of us enjoy staying connected on social media, excessive use can fuel feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, and FOMO (Fear of Missing out). Digital media connects people in ways never before possible, enabling users to maintain friendships across time and distance.

It enables those who are socially isolated or somehow set apart from their immediate physical community to connect with like-minded or like-situated people. However, the internet has a darker side to it. Many people are reporting cases of increased depression, suicide and online hate during and post Covid-19 Pandemic.

It’s important to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real-world human connection. It requires in-person contact with others to trigger the hormones that alleviate stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive.

The rise of Global Social movements and social media: A critical moment

Social media is more than views and opinions shared online. The technology can also help orchestrate protests that move beyond the digital realm. #ENDSARS (Nigeria) and #IcantBreathe (USA) are some of the most famous hashtags from 2020. The past year has opened the world’s eyes to social injustices globally.

This year, Africa’s young people have stood at the forefront of the continent’s fights for social and civil justice. With hashtags in one hand and a will to defend the defenseless in the other, young people have propelled the crises of Africa’s injustices to the world stage. Digital media is also allowing people around the world to build communities, organize activities and make their voices heard on a multitude of issues.

Through online petitions and charities, people across the cybersphere can act on causes about which they care. Change.org, which helps individuals to start petitions and advance their causes, has enabled more than 123 million users to attain their own goals on almost 15,000 issues in 196 countries, according to its website.

Social media and Elections

Social media is becoming increasingly central to election campaigns around the world. Social media has helped develop new spaces for political engagement and civil debate. Using popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp – civil society organizations have used social media to add transparency to electoral processes in Africa. For many governments especially those in Africa, social media can validate the legitimacy of an election through the click of a button.

Nonetheless, new issues are now emerging such as fake news, voter manipulation, and disinformation in African elections. The absence of a strategy by big tech to address misinformation has incited election-related violence in many parts of the continent.

Citizen journalism vs digital newsrooms: Building a consensus for new media

Social media’s complex symbiotic relationship with mainstream media is still evident in powerful ways. There are questions of legitimacy between the public and private media. Tensions between traditional and modern forms of communication are reflected in the online clash of views over “appropriate” online content, moral values, and perceived threats to national security.

Citizen journalism is a rapidly evolving form of journalism, which has enabled ordinary people to report newsworthy situations around them. Nowadays mainstream media do not serve as the only source of news. The alternative news sources on the Internet, such as blogs, web portals, and social networking sites give a good competition to mainstream media.

Re-framing the climate change agenda on social media

Social media has increasingly become a vital tool for climate change advocacy. Social media encourages greater knowledge of climate change, mobilization of climate change activists, space for discussing the issue with others, and online discussions that frame climate change as a negative for society.

Recently at the UN’s Climate Action Summit, photos from climate strikes around the world emerged on all platforms, demanding action on the impending climate crisis. Many have credited widely known climate activists – Vanessa Nakatte and Greta Thunberg, with launching this climate change movement globally, setting an example for others who believe the actions of one individual can have an impact. This has been amplified through their increased use of social media to draw public action on climate change.