Shatta Wale proposes balanced framework to tackle social media abuse without stifling free speech

Renowned Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale has proposed a balanced framework to tackle defamation, harassment, and abuse on social media, while preserving freedom of expression. In an open letter to President John Dramani Mahama dated September 28, the artist outlined his vision for legislation, judicial oversight, and collaboration among relevant parties.

Shatta Wale's proposal emerged following President Mahama's call for a national stakeholder dialogue on regulating new media platforms, such as TikTok, amid concerns over misinformation, insults, and information integrity. During a town hall meeting in New York, Mahama invited the Ghana Journalists Association and the Media Foundation for West Africa to convene stakeholders and determine the appropriate means to regulate new media.

In his letter, Shatta Wale drew from his own experiences as a public figure facing unverified allegations and public ridicule, emphasizing that the issue predates social media and has evolved from entertainment commentary to online comment sections, amplified by platforms accessible to anyone with a mobile phone. He stressed that freedom of speech and media, guaranteed by Ghana's 1992 Constitution, must remain protected, but should not allow threats, harassment, or the spread of damaging falsehoods.

Shatta Wale proposed that Parliament, the Judiciary, security agencies, media institutions, and civil society collaborate to establish a clearly defined legal framework for addressing serious and proven online misconduct. This framework should ensure full due process and independent judicial oversight, while safeguarding legitimate criticism, journalism, satire, and political expression.

He also called for strengthened account verification on social media platforms, which could be built upon the existing Ghana Card and SIM registration system, with cooperation from platforms to identify accounts involved in harassment or defamation based on lawful and court-ordered requests. Shatta Wale cautioned against requiring total anonymity for participating in public discourse, distinguishing between legitimate anonymity and cases where it is allegedly used to facilitate abuse or unlawful conduct.

The proposed penalties for specific online offenses should be proportionate, such as short custodial sentences of not more than one month, intended for deterrence and correction rather than punishment for its own sake. Shatta Wale urged caution in drafting new legislation to avoid recreating criminal libel, which Ghana repealed in 2001.

He emphasized the importance of public education on responsible online behavior and urged the government and stakeholders to involve the creative industry early in the process, given its extensive experience with public commentary, entertainment reporting, and social media.

Shatta Wale's proposals arise from President Mahama's call for a collective approach to address online expression boundaries, including misinformation, threats, and potentially harmful conduct. The President has expressed concern about arrests linked to insults directed at him, questioning the reasons behind some of these arrests. President Mahama has requested stakeholders to determine the role of the police in regulating new media and finding ways to address information integrity without undermining free expression.