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Paper short abstract

This comparative study presents findings of COVID-19-related digital rights issues derived from the study conducted by the African Digital Rights Network in 2020 on the state of opening and closing of online civic space with regards to allegedly COVID-19-related measures in ten African countries.

Paper long abstract

This comparative study presents findings of COVID-19-related digital rights issues derived from the study conducted by the African Digital Rights Network in 2020 on the state of opening and closing of online civic space with regards to allegedly COVID-19-related measures in ten African countries.

The comparative study reveals a number of inter-related themes from affordability and accessibility (internet or website shutdown), to tracking and tracing of infection hotspots, countering misinformation, to the impact on the privacy of citizens and closing of civic space.

From this study, we propose follow-up research to further investigate the implications of allegedly COVID-19-related measures imposed by states on the opening and closing of the online civic space.