Around 50 experts associated with the Forum’s regional networks of contributors in Africa and the Middle East took part in workshops on the regulation of social networks. Thanks to their contributions, the perspectives from different regions of the world will be taken into account in the development of the Forum’s recommendations.

 

Created at the initiative of the Forum on Information and Democracy last December, the Regional Networks of Contributors (RNC) from six countries in West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East convened on March 24 and 25 as part of the international working group on Accountability regimes for social networks and their users.

The meetings mobilized 48 national experts on the topics of account categorization, rights and obligations of users, and the accountability of platforms to democratic institutions.

These networks aim to ensure that local perspectives are better integrated in the development of the Forum’s recommendations. Each international working group will be able to take into account their expertise and outlooks to bring concrete solutions adapted to the national contexts encountered in these six countries to the table.

This project of inclusion and mobilization of experts also aims to promote peer exchanges and contribute to the construction of a regional ecosystem in the areas and countries concerned.

To that end, the Forum works with 6 partner organizations:

 

New Human Rights (NDH), Burkina Faso

An association defending human rights and press freedom in Burkina Faso

The Association for the Fight against Racism, Ethnocentrism and Regionalism (ALCRER), Benin

A non-governmental organization defending human rights, democracy and good governance in Benin

The Network of Online Press Professionals of Côte d'Ivoire (REPPRELCI)

The first professional organization of the digital press in Côte d’Ivoire

The Union of Information and Communication Professionals of Senegal (SYNPICS)

A professional organization in charge of the media sector in Senegal

Maharat Foundation, Lebanon

A non-governmental organization for freedom of expression and media development based in Lebanon

The Working Group for Journalism and Democracy, Tunisia

An organization promoting journalism and digital media development in Tunisia

A restitution workshop will be held in the summer following the release of the report on the Accountability regime of social networks and their users to present its recommendations.

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