The Government of Equatorial Guinea has restricted its citizens from downloading and sharing multimedia files using mobile data on WhatsApp.
This decision was followed by the guidelines that the
country’s government gave to telecommunications operators when it urged them to
implement measures to restrict access to inappropriate content.
The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation
against the 54-year-old Economist which resulted in the search of his house and
office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that
later revealed his s##xcapades with different married women.
The over 400 videos reportedly include encounters with
high-profile individuals, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of
the President of Equatorial Guinea, the Director General of Police’s wife, and
about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, among others.
The footage, discovered in his office, was said to have been
recorded with consent and has since been leaked online, causing a media uproar.
However, in a new development on Tuesday, a local news
platform, Ahora EG, reported that the citizens have been lamenting their
inability to share photos, videos, and audio when using a mobile data
connection, leading users to rely exclusively on WiFi networks to share such
content.
Speaking with a source, the platform quoted a source as
saying, “Should an entire country pay for the actions of a few? The likely
decision to restrict access to essential communication functions seems
disproportionate and punitive, affecting thousands of users of these platforms
who, in addition to serving them for entertainment, also use them for their
work and/or educational activities.
“In a world where digitalisation is becoming more and more
important, should we shut down our platforms and paralyse our activities due to
the actions of a few? Currently, users are forced to rely exclusively on WiFi
connections, which not only limits their ability to communicate but also
interferes with their daily activities.
“This situation has generated a heated debate among the
population, where many believe that the measure seems to be more focused on
controlling than facilitating communication,” the report added.
Ahora EG also quoted another querying, “Is it really fair
that everyone should suffer the consequences of the actions of a few? The
authorities have not yet provided any explanation for the reasons behind this
restriction, as well as the duration of the same. At a time when information
and communication are more vital than ever, the lack of transparency only
aggravates citizens’ concerns.”
Earlier, the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teddy
Nguema, announced plans to install surveillance cameras in all state body
offices.
This sweeping measure is part of an ongoing effort to ensure
strict adherence to public service laws and combat misconduct among officials.
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