Digital Revolution and Democracy in Africa: Freedom of Expression Revitalized

Abstract

The advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has revolutionized the daily lives of Africans, particularly in the areas of governance and politics. The main objective is to show that ICTs have fostered freedom of expression in Africa. Explanatory and demonstrative methods have been used to show firstly that ICTs are socio-political transformers, secondly that ICTs have created the possibility of free expression in Africa, and thirdly that ICTs make democracy and good governance effective in Africa. In politics, ICTs have ushered in a new era of information liberalization, which in turn has led to effective freedom of expression on the African continent. However, it is important to control the use of these technologies if they are to be a lever for democracy and good governance. The political participation of Africans in the digital public sphere requires us to adopt a dynamic approach that accepts a concept that varies in time and space, depending on the means available to individuals at a given moment. The advent of the Internet has profoundly changed the way Africans act and, in a space of a few years, has become an important vector for communication and political action. The revolution brought about by the new electronic means of communication has made relations between members of the community much more fluid.