Right now the hashtags #RIPTwitter and #GoodbyeTwitter are the most-used terms worldwide on Twitter - including Kenya, South Africa and Ghana - as users fear the social media platform is going to be shut down.
The trending hashtags appear to be a reaction to the news that the company's new CEO, Elon Musk, has "temporarily closed" the company' offices, with immediate effect.
There's added concern that if the platform were to shut down, it would have a significant impact on how citizens and activists' voices can be amplified to hold power to account and make alliances with like-minded people around the world.
For many of you outside Africa, the closure of Twitter might be a downtime for you or an opportunity to explore other alternative platforms. For most Africans, this will be the end of strong civic participation in democratic governance.
— Kofi Yeboah (@kofiemeritus) November 18, 2022
The use of Twitter's hashtag feature has been central to bringing awareness of African issues to a global audience, by making them a trending topic on the platform. The #EndSARS hashtag - which trended number one worldwide with more than 1 million tweets on the day of the Lekki tollgate shootings - brought international attention to police brutality in Nigeria.
In 2018, a video showing women and children being killed by Cameroonian soldiers went viral on Twitter, leading to a BBC Africa Eye investigation that resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of those soldiers.
It allowed the audience to become participants in investigation and make contributions, big and small, that could make a real difference. It meant incidents that would have otherwise been ignored ended up being investigated.
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) November 18, 2022
In 2014, the hashtag used to raise awareness of the kidnap of schoolgirls in Nigeria, was so closely associated with the story, that America's former first lady, Michelle Obama tweeted a picture of herself with #BringBackOurGirls written on a piece of paper.
Many online are now searching for an alternative to the social media platform and there's hope that an app made in Africa called Dikalo could be an alternative for the continent.
The company - named after the Douala language word for message - was founded by Cameroonian Alain Ekambi in 2017 has a mission to become "Africa’s best social network". They also claim to have seen an uptick in new users in the weeks following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter.
Latest Stories
-
Herman Suede is set to release ‘How Dare You’ on April 24
2 hours -
Heal KATH: Kuapa Kokoo, Association of Garages donate 120k to support project
2 hours -
KNUST signs MOU with Valco Trust Fund, Bekwai Municipal Hospital to build student hostel
2 hours -
The influence Ronaldo has on people, Cadman Yamoah will have same on the next generation – Coach Goodwin
3 hours -
Gender Advocate Emelia Naa Ayeley Aryee Wins prestigious Merck Foundation Awards
4 hours -
South Africa bursary scandal suspects granted bail
4 hours -
Ecobank successfully repays $500m Eurobond due April 18
4 hours -
Re: Doe Adjaho, Torgbui Samlafo IV, call for Unity among Paramountcies in Anlo
4 hours -
Extortion and kidnap – a deadly journey across Mexico into the US
4 hours -
Rihanna says fashion has helped her personal ‘rediscovery’ after having children
5 hours -
Development Bank Ghana targets GH¢1bn funding for commercial banks in 2024
5 hours -
Shatta Movement apologises to Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled after backlash
5 hours -
Sammy Gyamfi writes: Tema-Mpakadan Railway Project; A railway line to nowhere
6 hours -
Bright Simons: Is the World Bank saving or harming Ghana?
6 hours -
CAF Cup: RS Berkane banned from entering Algeria because of a map of Morocco with its Sahara
6 hours