The Seminar on Information and Democracy was held in Dakar on October 24 and 25, with the aim of fostering “an inclusive and responsible digital environment to strengthen democracy and citizen participation in Senegal” at a time when, according to Cyriac Gbogou, Vice-President of AfricTivistes, many democracies in Africa are going through a difficult period.

“Democracy in Senegal, as in many other countries on the continent, is facing a series of challenges. Among them, the management and dissemination of information in the digital age, especially in the pre-electoral period, is central”, noted Mr. Gbogou, in his introductory note, citing other challenges such as disinformation, cybercrime and digital sovereignty.

The event brought together government representatives and civil society players in panels, debates and round tables, and was attended by such personalities as journalist Mamoudou Ibra Kane, historian Prof Penda Mbow, journalism school CESTI director Mamadou Ndiaye and E-JICOM founder and director Hamadou Tidiane Sy. 

Democratic guarantees in the information space, the role of traditional and digital media in promoting democracy, the role of research, the fight against disinformation, media education, citizen participation, freedom of expression and media independence were just some of the themes addressed during the meeting.

“Two days of meetings to create a conversation between media players, civil society, political players and experts, to discuss current issues and try to find answers. At a time when Senegal is going through a political crisis and some journalists are finding it difficult to ply their trade, civil society players are forced to flee to other countries to be able to express their opinions.  An ordinary citizen finds him/herself in prison because s/he commented or made a post on social media. It’s a way of giving the media sector the role it’s meant to play, i.e. that of democracy watchdog,” pointed out Cheikh Fall, President of AfricTivistes.

The experts presented international best practices for strengthening democracy and the information space, focusing on what they see as the challenges of the moment: combating misinformation and promoting reliable information. “The challenges caused by informational chaos are so great that no state can solve them on its own (…) Today, with the Internet and social media, producing and disseminating information is easier, and so is manipulating it,” says Emma Gruden of Forum on Information and Democracy.

As for Ndiaga Gueye, President of the Association des Utilisateurs des TIC (Asutic), he maintains that the fight against disinformation must not be invested at the cost of fundamental individual freedoms. “The fight against disinformation is laudable. However, the excesses of this fight can give arguments to our governments to restrict our freedom of expression”, defended Ndiaga Gueye, while activist and journalist Borso Tall is banking on the players taking responsibility for their actions. “Encouraging information professionals to take responsibility will make them aware of the impact their work has on people’s lives, and will in turn be a means of reducing the spread of false information,” she advocated.

Discussions then highlighted that access to an independent and reliable media landscape is crucial for a country like Senegal, where the majority of citizens get their information through traditional media. However, media independence and funding remain a challenge. Demba Gueye, Managing Director of Azerty 1 and member of AfricTivistes, observes a lack  of trust between the traditional media and the masses. On the other hand, Gueye noted a fear within the media of seeing the government cut off their subsidies, and also a rejection of the media as a whole.

Furthermore, for veteran journalist Diatou Cissé, who took part in the meeting, it is not just the media that is being undermined. According to her, civil society, which has been at the forefront of the struggle, is in the process of collapsing in the country.

Journalist Mame Ngor Ngom pleads for the financial independence of the media to ensure greater freedom, especially in the treatment of information. “Free and independent media are not subject to influence. It’s good that the media feel watched by the public; it’s a very important civic duty in a democracy,” he said during a panel discussion on the theme “Media financial autonomy in the face of the challenges of independence and editorial freedom”.

At the same time, digital technologies are gaining grounds in shaping the Senegalese information space, requiring media education, fact-checking and regulatory approaches. Mamadou Ndiaye, Director of CESTI, makes the following plea: “In the fight against disinformation, fact-checking is no longer enough. We need something else. Media education is a relevant approach. It could be a solution and a kind of barrier between populations and false information”, he said.

He goes on to recommend the adoption of both traditional and digital media education from kindergarten onwards. Activist, journalist and blogger Jaly Badiane agreed: “To avoid online abuses, we need to educate and inform people, for the simple reason that the Internet is not a lawless zone”, she said, before continuing “When it comes to repression, the State reacts disproportionately”, she lamented.

Finally, the participants stressed that democratic guarantees for the information space must be developed and implemented to make the various players accountable and ensure access to diverse and reliable information.Over two days, the extensive discussions resulted in a list of recommendations compiled in a Memorandum on Information and Democracy for the consolidation of the role of the media in Senegalese democracy, and the protection and expansion of civic space in the age of digitalization.