Media Responsibility in Digital Age: Mahama calls for Accountability in new Media Landscape

President John Dramani Mahama has emphasised the critical need for media regulation in the era of social media during a recent presidential media encounter. He said, the world is moving from traditional media to new media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and X, highlighting the transformative shift in information dissemination.

The President warned about the potential dangers of unregulated digital communication, noting that “anybody with a phone and a camera can now report news or comment on national issues.” He stressed the importance of holding these new content creators accountable to prevent potential social conflicts.

He said, if the government don’t regulate that sector, it can lead this nation to war, pointing to specific instances where inflammatory social media content has fuelled tensions, such as in the Bawku situation and Gonja conflicts.

While acknowledging the removal of criminal libel laws, Mahama underscored that legal mechanisms still exist to address harmful content, particularly hate speech and incitement to violence on digital platforms.

The call for responsible digital communication comes as a critical intervention to maintain social harmony and prevent the misuse of communication technologies.