Despite headlines about tech booms and fast-growing startups, researchers and activists report that African governments are getting worse when it comes to internet freedom.⁠ ⁠ In 2016, Gambia was one the first sub-Saharan Africa countries to either shut the internet or block social media. Since then many more African countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan and Zimbabwe, have taken this route, but Gambia has been a site for hope.⁠ ⁠ As more Africans come online, mostly via their phones, researchers worry that African countries will focus on controlling how citizens are able to use parts of the internet, mimicking the Chinese model of web censorship as opposed to shutting the whole internet down.⁠ ⁠ Click the link in our bio to read the full story. Illustration by cadenas_11 for restofworld.⁠ ⁠ #gambia #africa #internet #startups #internetfreedom #socialmedia #ethiopia #sudan #zimbabwe #censorship #internetshutdown