Effect of digital freedom restrictions on women’s mental health

According to news service AFP, in recent years, Egypt has enforced strict internet controls through laws allowing authorities to block websites deemed a threat to national security. It also allows the monitoring of personal social media accounts with more than 5,000 followers.

Earlier this year, in June, the Egyptian government arrested five of its citizens — all of them were women — all of them in their early twenties — all of them were social media influencers — all of them were from working-class backgrounds. This was for posting videos of themselves on social platforms promoting products and services from brands they have been paid to endorse.

In Egypt, with influencers imprisoned for ‘violating public morals, and the values and principles of the Egyptian family’, the question being asked is if the alleged wrongdoings are being tried under the correct legal charges, or if broad cultural grey areas are replacing the legal black and white. Egypt, and especially her youth, has repeatedly shown the world the desire and willingness to be a valued member of a global, digital community. They are now at the cusp of another transition.

DIGITAL CENSORSHIP IS NEEDED FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

Laws need to be applied to content that clearly incites danger – whether to do with individual harm, mass violence, or national security matters. Governments need to listen, to adapt, and to harness their energies, rather than impose unreasonable expectations. There needs to be a new social compact to meet the youths’ desire to express themselves freely, and, at the same time, respect societal values – one that is achieved by consultation, not coercion.

In Germany, instead of censoring the content shared by its people, it introduced a law called 'Network Enforcement Act' or NetzDG in 2017. NetzDG obligates all social media platforms with over 2 million users to delete any content that promotes hate speech or offends religious sentiments posted on their platforms within 24 hours from the time of posting or else they are heavily fined.

While social media platforms, whether, due to their own aggressive content guidelines, or the restrictive framework set by the countries they are being used in, are proactively deleting content that's even remotely sensitive, it must be remembered that over-implementation of such censorship is a violation of human rights law under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

At the same time, Governments need to recognize that it is not feasible to impose ‘One Country, One Culture’, as the Internet already provides spaces and content for every imaginable interest group. This seriously impacts the mental health of today’s youth especially women.

If it appears that internet censorship is a syndrome of the developing countries, more so in countries that are governed by the laws of their belief systems, as opposed to countries that are run based on laws drafted towards protecting human rights and improving the overall state of affairs for human life, the appearance is certainly misleading and one built on false impressions.

Whether afraid of being without a job and not getting a job is a concern in itself, for women who are laid off or working from home, their problems are only made worse.

When the lockdowns began, there was a drastic surge in helpline calls for domestic violence against women. Italy’s domestic shelters for domestic violence victims filled up quickly after the city went into lockdown. Spain recorded 18% more calls on the emergency helpline asking for help. Singapore recorded 33% more calls on its AWARE women’s helpline cell. Australia recorded a 75% increase in search on Google for domestic violence help.

Thankfully, the power of the internet and digital allows us to step beyond closed doors behind closed doors. Unfortunately, for women, their right for freedom is curbed and trampled upon even in virtual space.

Are we ready to help them?

Author:

Jackline Wolley is a writer based in South Africa, she keenly focusses on women's well-being and generates awareness on the importance of mental health.