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Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah has said that policing social media is very difficult but emphasized the need for implementing effective regulatory methods to ensure the well-being of the nation and the continuity of peace and sustainable development.
The recent controversies surrounding the use of social media in Sierra Leone have spotlighted the dilemma of regulation. Many locals have called for stricter oversight, prompting the government to explore potential regulatory measures.
While some Sierra Leoneans perceive this as an infringement on free speech, others believe it’s essential for promoting responsible media use.
The misuse of social media leading up to the 2023 elections had many pointing fingers at various groups. With a new minister at the helm, many are eager to see the proactive measures he might introduce to foster responsible social media use.
In a recent interview, Minister Bah elaborated on the government’s approach to safeguarding the integrity of information. He acknowledged the vastness of the digital landscape makes it challenging to police, but he highlighted the importance of disseminating trustworthy information before it can be distorted by external parties.
“We want to break the barrier that has existed between the government and the people. We have to support all the ministries department and agencies in having a strategic information dissemination plan. We have to get a reservoir of all information across different platforms and government systems in the country. Another goal is for the information to be presented in a format that the people want and are already using. The government information has to be at different platform and all social media as well as community engagement. We have got plans to change the system within the country within the next six month – one year in the country.” he said
Very good point please Mr Minister make it happen.
Considering the pros and cons of social media usage, i think user education has to be the first giant step to undertake other than the restrictive measure. One notable thing I always admire regarding social media is the importance it has placed in many lives including myself, despite others that are misusing social media. The regulation should be seen objective other than subjective to favour one side (the government) . Prior to this stage we note with many fettered messages on social media and how some of those messages hing on the disruption of national oneness. Lets embark on user education, sensitization and above all fair regulation. Kudos to the new Minister of information for this laudable venture. ✌️✌️