http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38895541
- The two regions affected, South-West and North-West, have seen anti-government protests in recent months
- the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued a statement in which it warned social media users of criminal penalties if they were to "issue or spread information, including by way of electronic communications or information technology systems, without any evidence"
- statement also confirmed that the authorities had sent text messages direct to mobile phone subscribers, notifying them of penalties, including long jail terms, for "spreading false news" via social media
- It follows a period of rising tensions in which long-held grievances of English speakers against the government have erupted into protests and strikes
What is interesting about this article is the fact that Cameroon have only blocked the internet in English-speaking parts of the country; this therefore brings about the idea of globalisation and the issues with it. The rise in fake news is a clear issue in society and has been catalysed predominantly from huge issues, from Brexit to the US Elections. The fact that social media has been banned in this country reveals the moral panic that has spurred from fake news and that has caused governments to become afraid to the point where they have to go to extreme measures.
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