Hisha Sorel
Senior Member
- Dec 27, 2017
- 192
- 140
As President Bill Clinton mocked the Chinese president Jiang Zemin for his nation’s naivety in attempting to control the internet, the great firewall of China as it was pejoratively known, the crowd joined. At the time, in 2000s, this response was sensible considering how unknown the internet was. Yet, if he knew how later in 2016, the same tool he suggested to be left untamed would wreak havoc on United States on behalf of her enemies, he would have exercised caution.
There is no other way of putting it, the internet has become a weapon for state and non-state actors. Social media has become a source of extremism, misinformation, and control. Nations pre-existing tensions are deliberately provoked by bad-actors and the ignorant. Yet, the consequences are real and more severe, as, unlike the past, toxic content are far specific on who they target and can quickly proliferate.
The riots in sri Lanka against Muslim minority population exemplifies this phenomenon better. Through Wats App, a post claiming to show a Muslim poisoning the food spread among Buddhist majority flaming them to attack, brutalised, and murder several Muslims. This was not an isolated incidence, as both Facebook and Watsapp have been implicated on fuelling sectarian tension in Libya on behalf of other Nation. The Arab spring, the precursor, to both the Libyan and Syrian conflict, began through same social media platforms. And this is without mentioning the spread of obscene misinformation during 2016 and 2020 election with bots (accounts owned and operated by automated codes rather than human) playing both sides, republican and democrats, against each other. This may be one of the reasons why Tanzanian governments effort to regulate the internet is necessary especially at its infancy.
In its journey towards superpower, China knew that the ideology of its people was preferred weapon of the west. Historically, when pursuing its interest, the west has weaponised information by supporting opposition leaders and movement in targeted country. Beside financial aid, positive publicity enough to legitimise otherwise controversial movement, was a preferred method. In Tanzania, tribal or religion A may be legitimised through positive press over tribal/ religion B. Inflammatory orators may given platform in visible media, in turn sway naïve audiences. This breeds conflict, weakens the country, and opens up access to resources.
Moral degradation is also a viable weapon. This is by targeting and influence the population’s sense of self-respect, history, identity, and aspiration. When a nation such as Tanzania, with a black majority population perceives blackness as ugly, undesirable, dirty, and weak; by advertising carcinogenic creams to “cleanse” the skin, promote few light skin models, mock blackness, and take part in the humiliation of black women; that nation has embraced principles white supremacy.
This nation will welcome colonialism with open hands as it will come in whiteness. Western firms have faced little resistance as they have plundered Africa for its all resources including human capital. Western journalist narrow opinions and perspective in never challenged and instead elevated above that of local observers, despite African being aware of how dogmatic they cover and depict African countries. When in Paris, stand next to Eiffel towel, Times square in New York, Opera house in Sydney; but a slum dump when in Nairobi despite the abundancy of tourist traps.
National or social interest does not exist in nations under such influence. In its place is a focus on pleasing the west as it people identify with western interest. Politicians seeking praises from people who hate them as being and desire to subjugate them. Don't look far than a particular leader of the opposition receiving an award with names of politicians who have embraced conservatism, a political ideology drenched with white supremacy and black oppression.
All these might have been apparent to China as it moved to moderate western influence. As the US is seeking to regulate social companies and break them apart; Australia requiring companies to delete inflammatory videos, European Union controlling the data of its people; Tanzania has moved to establish more control in its online landscape.
This move is necessary as a foundation to heal and protect the country against future assaults. Establishing control and demanding accountability among its user would mean effective regulation against, but not limited to external influence, racist ideologies, and incitement. As News paper and television before it, published materials shall be held against national and societal values. This in turn would restore control back the society.
There is no other way of putting it, the internet has become a weapon for state and non-state actors. Social media has become a source of extremism, misinformation, and control. Nations pre-existing tensions are deliberately provoked by bad-actors and the ignorant. Yet, the consequences are real and more severe, as, unlike the past, toxic content are far specific on who they target and can quickly proliferate.
The riots in sri Lanka against Muslim minority population exemplifies this phenomenon better. Through Wats App, a post claiming to show a Muslim poisoning the food spread among Buddhist majority flaming them to attack, brutalised, and murder several Muslims. This was not an isolated incidence, as both Facebook and Watsapp have been implicated on fuelling sectarian tension in Libya on behalf of other Nation. The Arab spring, the precursor, to both the Libyan and Syrian conflict, began through same social media platforms. And this is without mentioning the spread of obscene misinformation during 2016 and 2020 election with bots (accounts owned and operated by automated codes rather than human) playing both sides, republican and democrats, against each other. This may be one of the reasons why Tanzanian governments effort to regulate the internet is necessary especially at its infancy.
In its journey towards superpower, China knew that the ideology of its people was preferred weapon of the west. Historically, when pursuing its interest, the west has weaponised information by supporting opposition leaders and movement in targeted country. Beside financial aid, positive publicity enough to legitimise otherwise controversial movement, was a preferred method. In Tanzania, tribal or religion A may be legitimised through positive press over tribal/ religion B. Inflammatory orators may given platform in visible media, in turn sway naïve audiences. This breeds conflict, weakens the country, and opens up access to resources.
Moral degradation is also a viable weapon. This is by targeting and influence the population’s sense of self-respect, history, identity, and aspiration. When a nation such as Tanzania, with a black majority population perceives blackness as ugly, undesirable, dirty, and weak; by advertising carcinogenic creams to “cleanse” the skin, promote few light skin models, mock blackness, and take part in the humiliation of black women; that nation has embraced principles white supremacy.
This nation will welcome colonialism with open hands as it will come in whiteness. Western firms have faced little resistance as they have plundered Africa for its all resources including human capital. Western journalist narrow opinions and perspective in never challenged and instead elevated above that of local observers, despite African being aware of how dogmatic they cover and depict African countries. When in Paris, stand next to Eiffel towel, Times square in New York, Opera house in Sydney; but a slum dump when in Nairobi despite the abundancy of tourist traps.
National or social interest does not exist in nations under such influence. In its place is a focus on pleasing the west as it people identify with western interest. Politicians seeking praises from people who hate them as being and desire to subjugate them. Don't look far than a particular leader of the opposition receiving an award with names of politicians who have embraced conservatism, a political ideology drenched with white supremacy and black oppression.
All these might have been apparent to China as it moved to moderate western influence. As the US is seeking to regulate social companies and break them apart; Australia requiring companies to delete inflammatory videos, European Union controlling the data of its people; Tanzania has moved to establish more control in its online landscape.
This move is necessary as a foundation to heal and protect the country against future assaults. Establishing control and demanding accountability among its user would mean effective regulation against, but not limited to external influence, racist ideologies, and incitement. As News paper and television before it, published materials shall be held against national and societal values. This in turn would restore control back the society.
