Tighter controls are not the answer; the opportunity should be used to think differently about trust and journalism. It is critical to enable audiences to distinguish reliable, verified information.
Press freedom has changed little in the past decade. If the African Union is to commit to the principles of democracy, it needs to do more to uphold freedom of expression and protects its journalists.
Namibia’s rise in the World Press Freedom rankings is stunning. The media environment in Africa, too, has improved. But media closures and the harassment of journalists are not yet things of the past.