The Ghana Journalists Association, GJA has cautioned the Ghana Police Service against any attempt to shutdown social media platforms on Election Day as this could essentially gag the media.
The Association rather insists the Police Service should be focusing on ways to police social media to prevent the mischief they believe a possible ban on social media will curb.
[contextly_sidebar id=”1EFWmNwBGsSwlB88lOZPOqlgbii50524″]The Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor yesterday [Thursday] revealed the Police were considering the ban as a move to ensure order on social media platforms on the day of the general election.
Shutdown could mean a blackout for media
Nonetheless, the General Secretary of the GJA, Dave Agbanu, has said the Police Service should not even be weighing a potential shutdown on social media as a security option because such a move will hamper the media’s attempts at information dissemination on the day of the polls.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Agbanu said, “Our advice is that it shouldn’t be considered at all. It shouldn’t be an option because social media has become a tool for journalism and there for shutting it down means there could be a blackout on news and information flow during the election period.”
Police social media instead
Mr. Agbanu posited that the Police Service would be better served putting in place measures to police activities on social media during the polls.
“People will cause mischief whether we have social media or not. What the police should be thinking about… is the fact that they are not even able to use technology that can police social media and prevent people from causing mischief.”
“If we get a handle on what should be done to police social media, I don’t think that we would be having this discussion now,” he added.
Backlash against potential social media shutdown
The Police Service’s indication they were considering the possibility of shutting down social media sites across the country on Election Day was met with criticism from from a variety of stakeholders.
Groups like the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) have rejected the Police Administration’s reasoning for such a move saying any restriction on social media would tantamount to a violation of the freedom of expression.
Kinna Likimani, the Project Lead of Ghana Decides, a social media platform dedicated to election coverage in Ghana also described the Police Service’s decision to shut down social media platforms as an affront to the tenets of the 1992 constitution.
IGP ignited debate
But a Deputy General Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho said the IGP should be commended for igniting debate with the announcement of the possible shutdown of social media and disclosing their intended move ahead of the polls.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citfmonline.com/Ghana