Ghana’s Communications Minister, Samuel George, considered shutting down the internet after a helicopter crash to prevent the spread of graphic videos.
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Instead, the ministry worked with Meta and telecom operators to limit circulation and sent over 30 million text messages urging the public to stop sharing the images.
The minister criticized some media outlets for airing graphic scenes and emphasized the need for updated digital laws to protect grieving families.
“When the incident happened, I was distraught, but we still had a responsibility to the state. I got a call with the videos that started circulating. The unfortunate situation is most of them were circulating on WhatsApp, and WhatsApp is a platform that is not controlled by any country. It’s a private business,” He told Joy FM in an interview.
Adding that, “But that also had consequences for news access, emergency communication, and even the economy.”
