Ghana Internet Safety Foundation Condemns The Rising Trend Of Leaked Sex Tapes

The responsible usage of mobile technology and the Internet by users remains a great challenge that many societies face across the globe. Yet, the narrative has been on expanding access to Internet facilities in less advanced communities with little emphasis on advocating for a respectful, kind and responsible use with the greater good of the society in mind. Nonetheless, many organisations have taken up the challenge to stand up and promote a safer internet environment for all especially the youth. In advanced Countries like the United States, President Obama issued the Cyberspace Policy Review, which tasked the Department of Homeland Security with creating an on-going cyber security awareness campaign Stop. Think. Connect.– to help Americans understand the risks that come with being online in 2009.

Unfortunately, in societies where challenges such as access to affordable health, electricity, water, housing and other essential facilities remain a stumbling block to sustainable development, proactive efforts to campaign for such a worthy cause are more often than not relegated to the background. However, non-profit organisations such as the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) in partnership with the National Cyber Security Alliance (NSCA) in the US and the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) have been working assiduously to ensure that the digital Ghanaian society is built by responsible and alert Internet users with direct ramifications on the physical sociocultural terrain around the country.

We have also reached out to the National Communications Authority (NCA), the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and the Department of Children in a concerted effort to deal categorically with malicious issues on social media across the country. We understand that it is our duty to be more vigilant about practising safe online habits to persuade Ghanaians to view Internet safety as a shared responsibility in the home, workplace and in our communities. No individual is outside the scope of this clear and present phenomenon.

Across the globe, there exists several grey areas in the enforcement of legal tools to track and punish perpetrators of malicious online activities which aim to cause physical or emotional damages to victims and their families. The tall list of activities includes but are not limited to cyber bullying, cybercrime, SPAM, identity theft, browser hijacking, pharming, phishing, sexting, online pornography and revenge pornography. It is worrisome to note that daily reports of leaked sex tapes across the country are on the ascendency and it is more horrifying to grapple with the realty that our university campuses have become the hotbed of such demeaning and distasteful behaviour. Revenge Pornography, product of sexting, seems to be leading the trend whereby a disgruntled partner releases a recorded video of a previous private sexual encounter publicly for retributive purposes.

Sexting is an act of exchanging explicit sexual material such as naked pictures and short videos between two or more people using a mobile device. Shamefully, this has become a common practice within the confines of many senior secondary and tertiary institutions in Ghana where ironically, the hallmarks of intellectual excellence are meant to be celebrated. This casts a dark cloud on the institution’s reputation and its affiliates. It begs the question, what kind of sociocultural and moral education are we as a society subscribing to in recent times?

More often than not, we have witnessed many such tapes flaunted on social media and hosted by many websites in total disregard to the code of conduct and ethics in the country. The Ghanaian society has inadvertently turned a blind eye to this social canker with hopes that it would evaporate into thin air. Be that as it may, the potential of the Internet cannot be overemphasized on both sides of the coin and that it is the more reason why all stakeholders from parents to public officials have a critical role to play in curbing these distasteful activities wherever they occur.

A case in point which is currently trending on several news outlets both online and offline has to do with reports of the public display of a leaked sex tape on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on 2nd May 2016. The alleged video had been in circulation on social media platforms for days during the examinations period prior to the public premiere thereby provoking a public outcry for an immediate end to the online victimisation of the young female student in the video.

Thus, on 3rd May 2016, the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation carried out its own investigations to ascertain the veracity of reports from several grapevine sources. It was found out that the video which revealed the identity of only the young female partner was indeed in circulation and hundreds of students had thronged to the Hall of residence of the lady in an attempt to get her to reveal the identity of the male partner in the video.

Shocking as it sounded, GISF rushed to the studios of Focus 94.3 FM to alert the student community to desist from disseminating the video on social media platforms as it infringed on a tall list of ethical and legal statutes as well as the dignity of a woman in our society. We did not mince words to totally condemn the public display of indecent content of a sexual nature as well as the public shaming attempts by self-appointed moral police on the campus as well as imploring the authorities to act swiftly to protect and punish those involved as a deterrent to all within the university fraternity. Later in the day, GISF joined the ‘Diary with David’ on LUV 99.5 FM to signal our legal, technical and moral concerns regarding an issue which has far-reaching ramifications on our daily activities.

Throughout these engagements, the highlight was that the societal apparatus has done very little to protect members from the negative tendencies of social media activities whereby education, monitoring and enforcement have been carried out in a laissez-faire manner. We could not but appeal for compassion for every victim of such heinous crimes and proactive efforts to mitigate the inherent consequences. These things take place to the detriment of the aspirations of parents, teachers, leaders and Ghana’s future potential. It was therefore conceded that our society needs a complete reorientation towards the current template for tackling issues regarding the use of the Internet and digital technology in general as a step towards finding a lasting solution to the situation.

In light of this and more, we use the opportunity to shed light on a few preventive tips relative to online safety for the benefit of the general public:

• Watch your back – whenever you are about to post something online, pause and think about someone in authority or respect reading your post
• Think twice before you post or say anything online; once it is in cyberspace, it is out there forever
• Keep personal information about yourself private, including your family members, your school, your telephone number, or your address
• On social media platforms, check your privacy and security settings to ensure your audience is restricted to your comfort level.
• If you engage in any sexual activity, especially the ladies, make sure there is no active laptop or digital camera set up in the room. Do a casual scan of the place and demand the man about any recording devices beforehand. Don’t just jump into bed!
• Delete immediately suspicious emails and ignore questionable links and posts
• Stop any questionable online behaviour; only do and say things online that you would do in real life
• Keep all software or applications up to date.
• Speak up. If you see something inappropriate, let the website know and tell an adult you trust.
• Don’t stand for bullying—online or off. Be a good online citizen!

Securing cyberspace begins with YOU! Think Before You Share! Stop.Think.Connect!

Get informed and get involved now! Contact the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation to

• Increase and reinforce awareness of cybersecurity

• Work with national organisations in educating the public about cybersecurity
• Engage the Ghanaian public to acknowledge and commit to the shared responsibility of securing our cyberspace
• Promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to build the cyber workforce
• educate the youth, parents and all stakeholders about combatting the evils of social media.

Together, can positively influence this and future generations to be informed and responsible users of digital technology.

About Ghana Internet Safety Foundation
Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) – a non-profit, non-religious organization that is working to ensure a safer and better Internet in Ghana .The Ghana Safer Internet Day Committee is headed by the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation operating the Child Online Protection Initiative (COP) which has become a leader in educational presentations and workshops teaching social media skills, critical thinking and internet safety to over 5,000 students, religious organizations, educators, parents and professionals. Its registered charity number is CG124582014. (https://www.saferinternetday.org/web/ghana/sid). Learn how to engage GISF and connect with us on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GISFGH , on Twitter at @teamGISF, and the email at [email protected].

Kwasi Mensah Nyarko
Senior Policy Analyst
Ghana Internet Safety Foundation
+233205763300