For the last two months, Puntland Media Platforms have faced unfair and offensive attacks targeting media freedom and freedom of expressions. Organized groups appear to be repeatedly using copyright tools to block important interest contents on various topics.
This has been particularly noticeable whenever President Said Deni Addresses the public. Videos of his speeches are being targeted via copyright claims and subsequently blocked from public access. This seems to be a new tactic aimed at silencing free media while potentially seeking ransom and financial compensation from the media platforms.
The latest offense occurred today and effected coverage of President Den’s Press conference on the tensions in Galkayo. An account identified Eitan Yosef Cohen has involved in copyright claim effecting a number of media platforms.
The Continuation of such actions could encourage further attempts to silence people undermine freedom of expression. Meta should ensure that its Community Standards and copyright system are not misused to suppress legitimate public interest journalism.
Suggestions to the Puntland state house Communication and media team.
These perpetrators appear to be targeting the President’s speeches. At the same time currently your communication strategy may unintentionally make it easier for them to succeed by relaying on heavily single recording source. When a speech is recorded and disturbed trough single video source that content can potentially be identified and target via copyright system, as we have seen in recent months. So, you should not put all your eggs into single basket. Its time to change strategy and I would suggest the following:
1. Invite the media to press conferences and allow every media outlet and responsible freelance journalist to record their own videos. If multiple media outlets record their independently footages, there will be multiple original contents and different video fingerprints. This would make it more difficult a single copyright claim to effect coverage across multiple platforms.
2. Direct Engagement with meta: The Puntland state house communication and media team should engage with Meta’s relevant teams including Africa Team, and explain the situation and seek a proper solution. There also should be clear consideration of public interest speech and press conferences by public officials. Public statements and matters public interest should not be restricted by misusing of copyright systems and mechanisms.
3. Should be conduct full investigation into the organized activities behind these fake copyright’s clams, with the aim of identifying the pattern and preventing similar attempts from occurring the future.
Finally, I encourage media organizations and social media influencers effected by these fake claims to file dispute and appeal fraudulent abusive copyright claims rather than simply removing legitimate public interest content. Freedom of expression and independent journalism should not be undermined by the misuse of copy right systems.
Khadar Awl Ismail
Media and Communications Expert
Director, Daljir Media
E-mail: [email protected]
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