Shatta Wale calls for balanced legal framework to tackle social media abuse

Ghanaian musician and entrepreneur Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., popularly known as Shatta Wale, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to support the development of a balanced legal framework to address defamation, harassment and abuse on social media.

In an open letter dated September 28, 2026, addressed to President Mahama and copied to key state institutions, the musician said efforts to tackle abusive online conduct must be pursued without undermining freedom of expression.

His appeal follows President Mahama’s recent comments at a town hall meeting with the Ghanaian community in New York, where the President raised concerns about misinformation, insults and other forms of abusive communication on TikTok and other digital platforms.

Shatta Wale argued that public ridicule and the spread of unverified allegations did not begin with social media. He said similar conduct had previously been associated with sections of entertainment commentary before the rapid growth of digital platforms expanded its reach.

He noted that social media now allows individuals to disseminate information instantly to large audiences, exposing traditional leaders, businesspeople, journalists, public officials and ordinary citizens to various forms of online abuse.

While acknowledging the constitutional protection of freedom of speech and media freedom, Shatta Wale said those rights should not be used to justify threats, harassment or the deliberate circulation of harmful false information.

He called for Parliament, the Judiciary, security agencies, media organisations and civil society groups to collaborate on a clearly defined legal framework to deal with serious and proven cases of online misconduct.

He also advocated independent judicial oversight and strict adherence to due process whenever sanctions are imposed.

At the same time, the musician urged policymakers to ensure that legitimate criticism, journalism, satire and political expression remain protected.

“No citizen should be punished for criticising a President, public official or public figure,” he said in the letter.

Shatta Wale further proposed engagement with social media companies operating in Ghana on issues including account verification and cooperation with lawful, court-approved requests to identify accounts involved in proven cases of harassment or defamation.

However, he cautioned against making anonymity a condition that citizens must surrender before participating in public discourse.

On possible sanctions, he suggested that Parliament could consider proportionate penalties if certain forms of online misconduct are eventually classified as criminal offences.

Among his proposals were short custodial sentences of no more than one month, although he stressed that the primary purpose of any sanction should be deterrence and correction rather than punishment for its own sake.

Shatta Wale also referred to Ghana’s repeal of criminal libel in 2001, urging policymakers to ensure that any new legislation does not effectively recreate criminal libel through another legal mechanism.

He called for greater public education on responsible social media use and urged the government to involve stakeholders in the creative industry at an early stage of any discussions on legal reforms.

“The goal is not to silence citizens, but to restore responsibility to our public conversation while preserving the freedoms on which our democracy stands,” he said.

Shatta Wale concluded by expressing his readiness to contribute to the national discussion on finding a balance between protecting citizens from online abuse and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.