Bagbin cautions against using free speech to justify online threats and misinformation

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called for caution in Ghana’s growing debate over social media regulation, warning that freedom of expression should not be used to justify threats, incitement, deliberate misinformation or the abuse of others.

Bagbin made the remarks on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, when Parliament resumed for an emergency sitting.

According to the Speaker, Ghana’s discussions on how to regulate social media and tackle misinformation must be guided by a balance between protecting citizens’ right to express themselves and ensuring that people are held accountable for harmful conduct online.

His comments come at a time when there is renewed national debate over the regulation of social media platforms, particularly TikTok.

The debate follows concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama about the increasing spread of misinformation, insults and other forms of harmful content on social media.

President Mahama has called for a national stakeholder dialogue to determine how Ghana should respond to the growing influence of TikTok and other emerging media platforms.

The President has, however, stressed the need to ensure that any regulatory measures adopted do not infringe on the constitutional right to freedom of expression.

To facilitate the discussions, President Mahama tasked the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) with bringing together relevant stakeholders to deliberate on the issue.

Speaking in Parliament, Speaker Bagbin welcomed the President’s initiative and urged those involved in the national conversation to approach the matter with openness, moderation and broad participation.

He stressed that efforts to address harmful online content must not be turned into a means of silencing people who criticise government officials or hold public authorities accountable.

“The national conversation should, in my view, be broad, inclusive, and measured,” Bagbin said.

He cautioned that the discussion should neither be used to suppress dissent nor to protect public officials from legitimate criticism.

At the same time, he noted that concerns about freedom of expression should not be used to defend threats, incitement, deliberate falsehoods or irresponsible attacks against other people.

Bagbin said the approach proposed by President Mahama recognises the need to maintain this delicate balance between protecting free speech and addressing abuses associated with social media.

President Mahama had earlier addressed the issue during a Town Hall Meeting with Ghanaians in New York, where he acknowledged the challenges involved in regulating new media platforms without undermining freedom of expression.

The President said Ghana must collectively decide how it wants to respond to the growing influence of platforms such as TikTok.

He also raised the question of whether the country’s existing mechanisms for dealing with harmful online content are sufficient to address the challenges posed by new media.

The ongoing debate is therefore expected to bring together media organisations, civil society groups, technology stakeholders, government representatives and other relevant actors to consider possible approaches to social media regulation while preserving the right to free expression.