The government has cautioned that continued misuse of online platforms to spread misinformation, hate speech, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated distortions could prompt restrictions or even temporary shutdowns.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the country’s communications regulator, said while no official decision has been made, the behaviour of users will determine the course of action.
Mr Abudu Sallam Waiswa, the head of Litigation, Prosecution, and Legal Advisory at UCC, urged Ugandans to take responsibility for reporting harmful content.
‘There is no government position yet that the Internet will be shut down before or during elections. Internet shutdowns are caused by circumstances and us as users. So, all of us should commit to be responsible users so that there will be no need to look at the Internet as a security threat to the peace and security of all Ugandans,’ he said.
Mr Waiswa added: ‘If you see anybody misusing the Internet, falsifying information, sharing pictures that are not palatable, sharing information that you know is fictitious, please call that person to order, even before UCC or government does, and there will be no need to restrict its use or even suspend it.’
Speaking at a joint press briefing with election stakeholders in Kampala yesterday, the UCC official highlighted the growing challenges posed by AI, noting that Uganda currently has no specific AI law.
However, Mr Waiswa said existing legislation, including the Computer Misuse Act, can be applied to penalise anyone using technology to spread hate or destabilising content. He cited prior engagements with Facebook (now Meta) as an example of the difficulties in regulating global platforms. ‘We have many laws that reprimand anybody misusing communication platforms and technologies, including AI. If you use technology to share anything that amounts to hate speech, that’s an offence,’ Mr Waiswa said.
He explained that previous complaints to Facebook from Ugandans, including fraud and defamation cases, were often ignored or met with brief responses, with the platform claiming the content did not violate its community standards.
‘Those standards are not Ugandan laws and cannot override our sovereign right to regulate communications,’ Mr Waiswa added.
Facebook was suspended in Uganda in 2021, when it had about 1.9 million users, though UCC estimates around 1.5 million still access it via VPNs.
Mr Waiswa warned that VPN users remain visible to regulators and accountable for illegal online behaviour.
He stressed that ongoing engagement with the platform could lead to its restoration once concerns are addressed.
Mr Richard Kamugisha Baabo, the acting secretary of the Electoral Commission, said African Union member states met in Porto-Novo, Benin, last year to discuss online platform abuse. He noted that executives from Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok attended the meeting.
‘We appreciated their inventions and creativity, but we asked why they had not put mechanisms to regulate their platforms,’ Mr Baabo stated.
Counting the cost
According to TOP10VPN, Uganda lost Shs390 billion in 2021 due to Internet restrictions, ranking fifth globally in terms of economic impact.