The Move To Tax Social Media Users In Uganda May Be A Way To Limit Freedom Of Speech
Uganda has revealed its intentions to impose a tax on social media users starting July. Although the lawmakers say it"s a way to generate revenue, activists have stormed the social media to denounce such imposition, claiming it"s another attempt by President Yoweri Museveni to limit freedom of speech and thus overrule his 32-year-old rule, Reuters reported. Uganda has a population of about 41 million, 23.6 million use mobile phones, and 17 million are internet subscribers. Unlike some other western countries, data costs in many parts of Africa are outrageous. In fact, according to statistics by the digital advocacy group World Wide Web Foundation, internet costs are among the world"s highest. The Finance Minister, in a telephone interview with Reuters, says that users of platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook would be taxed 200 Ugandan shillings ($0.027) daily. When asked about the effect on stifling people"s use of the internet, he declined to give a resp...