By Nafimane Halweendo
In today’s digital world, social media platforms are more than just spaces for communication.
They’ve become modern town squares and powerful tools that are shaping economies, politics, narratives and culture.
The recent move by the United States government to ban TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform highlights the growing industrial and technological competition between global powers.
This raises an important question, especially for our continent: What is Africa doing to create its own social media platforms and more importantly, does Africa need to compete digitally on the world stage?
To help one answer this, it is imperative that one outlines the various important factors applicable to countries or continents taking up space, owning and controlling their own social media platforms.
1. Digital Sovereignty and Security
Owning and operating social media platforms within a continent ensures data security and sovereignty. When a platform is controlled by a foreign country, user data can be accessed and manipulated for political or economic advantage.
For instance, Africa which is 30.37 million square kilometers wide is displayed on the world map on all internet platforms as being smaller than the U.S.A which is only 9.83 million square kilometers wide and Europe which is only 10.18 million square kilometers wide. With local ownership, continents can enforce stronger regulations to protect user information, correct data publication, privacy and national security.
2. Economic Growth and Job Creation
Tech companies generate billions of dollars through advertising, data analytics, and software development. By building their own platforms, continents can keep these profits within their economies, creating jobs and fostering innovation. Instead of relying on American or Chinese platforms, Africa, Europe, and South America could develop their own digital industries.
3. Stronger Negotiating Power in Global Tech Markets
Currently, a handful of American and Chinese companies dominate the global tech industry. If continents such as Africa establish their own social media platforms, they can create a more balanced global digital economy. This would allow them to negotiate better terms with international tech giants, ensuring fair competition and stronger local industries.
4. Cultural Representation and Influence
Social media platforms shape narratives, trends, and even national identities. When platforms are controlled by foreign entities, local cultures may be misrepresented or overlooked. A continent-specific platform would promote indigenous languages, traditions, and values, ensuring that digital spaces reflect local identities rather than foreign ideologies. Africans are continuously fed a plethora of self deprecating news and images on social media aimed at reducing and tainting the identity of African values, self identity and promoting white supremacy.
From starving African children with flies on their faces to exaggerated images of swamps and informal settlements. Poverty being something that exists on almost ever continent to varying degrees is excessively highlighted as being “African” in nature. This is a historical fact that has increased greatly since the inception of western controlled social media platforms and needs redress.
5. Reducing Political Manipulation
Foreign-owned social media platforms can be used to spread propaganda, misinformation, or political influence in other regions. By owning their own platforms, continents such as Africa can reduce the risk of external interference in elections, governance, and social movements, ensuring that their digital landscapes are controlled by local institutions which are credible.
Since the advent of popular social media applications in the early 2000’s, the continuous unlawful attacks by western troops and specifically American soldiers in areas such as Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the recent invasion of Libya coupled with the killing of it’s African leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi were all excessively reported on western social media applications as “important human rights operations” aimed at promoting “democracy” and “world peace”.
All this regardless of the fact that these were crimes against humanity aimed at killing and derailing the economies of countries which were not in bed with the Americans. This buttresses the point that a specific continental monopoly on social media platforms is a dangerous tool which can be used to manipulate and blind the whole world while atrocities and mass murdering and plundering of nation’s resources are taking place.
America has recently withdrawn U.S Aid to South Africa and expelled the South African ambassador to the U.S.A, Ebrahim Rasool due to misinformation and a conservative, racist narrative of alleged white genocide and discrimination against white Afrikaners happening in South Africa.
This misinformation is largely spread on the “X” social media platform (previously known as Twitter and currently owned by Elon Musk who is a white South African and close friend of Donald Trump). It has the potential of derailing an entire countries’ economy and plundering it into chaos and potential civil war.
As Namibians, South Africans and Africans at large, what do we do if western social media apps withdraw and cancel their operations in our countries in light of the current economic, racial and tech war? Imagine waking up tomorrow and it’s not just political sanctions against your country, its Facebook, X (Twitter) , Whatsapp, Linkedin and Instagram not working in your country because the western powers that be are unhappy with your African leader’s political policies. Are we going to go back to communicating via Sms, smoke signals and updating each other via newspapers?
BASHU APP AND OTHERS…
The above analogy is why local, Namibian and African, social media apps such as “Bashu App”, Kwafa, Intercity and others are needed. To ensure digital sovereignty, data security and reduce political manipulation as well as ensure digital sufficiency in how Africans communicate, trade, move money, donate and travel.
Bashu App which is Africa’s first social media application is a micro blogging platform that connects people and users based on topics of similar interest, it recently became available to the public on IOS worldwide and will be launching an Android and Huawei version very soon.
Many people who are using this new platform have queried whether it is necessary for Namibia or Africa to own it’s own social media applications? Why not just use the existing social media platforms? The answer is simple, Africa needs to rise to a new ideology of pride and celebration of African products. We must strive for self sufficiency in as many industries as possible. Social media and technology is the new bread cutting machine and we need our own space to exist authentically.
Another progressive African Application is Kwafa.com, it’s a Namibian App which allows individuals and organizations to raise money in order to support social causes for the upliftment of Namibians, Africans and any other people who are facing social challenges and poverty. An important tool to ensure the smooth transfer of money for philanthropical purposes.
Intercity is another great technological African invention. It is a local travel app that connects drivers and passengers with common travel interests to allow them to share travel costs and make mobility convenient and seamless in the true spirit of Ubuntu. The app has since expanded to South Africa and will soon launch in Botswana.
Conclusion
Are African social media apps like “Bashu, Kwafa and Intercity” necessary? Should each continent develop and control its own social media platform and not be at the mercy of the “West” as superpowers? The answer is yes! Africa and each continent without a local social media application should have their own social media applications, for several reasons.
The increasing geopolitical tensions between the U.S.A, China, Russia, and other global players highlight the dangers of digital dependency. It’s imperative that we as Africans specifically develop our own social media applications such as “Bashu, Kwafa and Intercity”. By developing our own social media platforms, Africa can protect their economies, cultures, and political stability. In an era where digital influence is as powerful as military strength, owning social media platforms is no longer an option, it is a necessity.
*Nafimane Halweendo is an Admitted Legal Practitioner of the High Court and Supreme Court of Namibia, He is also a tech entrepreneur and founder of the “Bashu” App, Namibia’s first Social media mobile application.
