Africa-Press – Botswana. Several years ago, I wrote an opinion piece (August 18, 2008) in which I reflected on the scepticism surrounding the role of the media in Botswana.
At the time, community radio stations and newspapers were still aspirational and the journalist was often viewed with suspicion and regarded not as a partner in development or watchdog of democracy but a threat or outsider. Unfortunately after so many years, that distrust still lingers today. In that piece, I also warned of a coming shift – the rise of citizen journalism, mobile reporters or “MoJos” as they are often called and participatory media models such as CNN’s “iReport.” I observed how advances in technology and the growing desire for free-flowing information were changing how news is created and consumed. The media was undergoing a quiet revolution. Traditional journalists were no longer the sole custodians of credibility or the only ones with access to privileged information. In essence, the power to shape public narratives was beginning to decentralise. The question now is: What has this power shift produced? Has it strengthened our democracy or eroded it? What we see today is a media environment bursting with content but not always with clarity.
The ability of ordinary citizens to report, share and amplify events has been both a blessing and a burden. We have witnessed moments when grassroots reportage brought hidden stories to light, challenged power and rallied communities. Conversely, we are also increasingly seeing the darker side of this transformation. The spread of falsehoods, distortion of facts and the weaponisation of digital platforms to mislead, divide or incite are common. This raises a troubling question: Who do we trust now? The trained journalist, working under editorial standards and ethical codes, continues to be lumped in with anonymous social media users and influencers, some of whom peddle unverified content for clicks or clout. The result is a media space where credibility is diluted and confusion thrives. Where once we imagined the emergence of a smart network mob (citizens empowered by technology to challenge corruption, demand transparency and share information in real time), we are now contending with something more unruly. Smart networks have, in many instances, devolved into misinformation mobs. Instead of elevating democratic discourse, some networks have become echo chambers of rumour, anger and tribalised narratives. What began as a tool for civic engagement is, at times, feeding polarisation and undermining public trust. Just last week, I participated in a webinar organised by the Botswana Editors Forum and United Nations Resident Coordinator’s office in Botswana on how to counter hate speech in Botswana newsrooms. The difficult question was: Balancing Free Speech with Public Security – How to police hate speech without infringing on media freedom? Faced with this reality, a new urgency arises: How do we regulate social media without silencing citizens? The impulse to act is understandable. No government can ignore the real dangers of hate speech, disinformation or coordinated online harm.
In Botswana, laws such as the Cybercrime and Computer-Related Crimes Act have been introduced in part to address these emerging threats. However, the fear is that in trying to safeguard society, we may go too far, thus stifling dissent, criminalising legitimate expression and shrinking the democratic space under the guise of national security. So where do we draw the line? First, we must ask whether our legal frameworks are fit for purpose. Vague laws that criminalise “offensive” speech or allow broad surveillance powers risk becoming blunt instruments used to silence rather than protect. Regulation must be clear, proportionate and grounded in human rights standards. It must protect not just state security but the individual’s right to speak, to question and to participate in national dialogue. Secondly, what role should journalists and media institutions play in restoring public trust? The profession cannot remain passive. It must double down on its ethical obligations – accuracy, balance, fairness and actively distinguish itself from the noise of unverified content. Trust must be earned again, not assumed. Media houses need to invest in fact-checking, improve transparency and hold themselves accountable to the very standards they demand from others. At the same time, how do we treat the rise of the citizen journalist? Should we attempt to control this wave or channel it? The answer lies not in restriction but in education.
Citizens must be empowered with media literacy (the ability to evaluate sources, spot manipulation and resist the impulse to share unverified information). Government, civil society and educational institutions must work together to ensure that freedom of expression is matched by a culture of responsibility. Last week I advocated that Botswana like other countries such as Malawi, must establish an iVerify platform to assist with verification of information by all. There is also the question of platform accountability. Social media giants cannot be allowed to operate as neutral pipes when their algorithms often determine what spreads and what doesn’t. We must push for transparency in how content is moderated and we must advocate for rules that hold these companies accountable for harmful content that originates or spreads in our country. Finally, who should lead this balancing act? No single actor can do it alone. The regulation of digital spaces must be the result of inclusive dialogue, drawing on the experiences of journalists, legal scholars, civil society, tech experts and everyday users. It is only through such multi-stakeholder engagement that we can craft frameworks that protect both public order and personal liberty.
Above all, we must acknowledge first that Botswana stands at a crossroads. We can choose to build a media and digital environment that fosters informed, engaged citizenship or we can drift into an age of suspicion, control and silence. As we draw the line between regulation and repression, let us err on the side of openness, trust and shared responsibility. For a democracy cannot thrive in silence nor in a storm of untruths but in the steady, reasoned voice of a society that values both freedom and truth.
*Thomas Thos Nkhoma is MISA-Botswana national governing council chairperson
Source: Mmegi Online
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