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“HOLD BEFORE YOU SEND IT” CAMPAIGN YOUR VOICE, THEIR SAFETY: JOIN THE DIALOGUE
1. Background
Digital technologies, particularly social media, are reshaping how young people across Africa learn, communicate, and engage with their communities. While these platforms create unprecedented opportunities, they also expose youth to significant risks such as cyberbullying, online hate, misinformation, harassment, and harmful viral content. These vulnerabilities are even more pronounced in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where online narratives can quickly escalate into offline harm.
In response to these challenges, Digihub Africa launched the “Hold Before You Send It” campaign, a continent-wide initiative to promote digital mindfulness, responsible online behaviour, and safer digital ecosystems for youth and vulnerable groups.
Digital technologies, particularly social media, are reshaping how young people across Africa learn, communicate, and engage with their communities. While these platforms create unprecedented opportunities, they also expose youth to significant risks such as cyberbullying, online hate, misinformation, harassment, and harmful viral content. These vulnerabilities are even more pronounced in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where online narratives can quickly escalate into offline harm.
2. The Challenge
Despite increasing digital access, many young Africans lack the digital literacy and support systems required to navigate online spaces safely. Harmful content spreads rapidly. From cyberbullying and hate speech to dangerous misinformation, leading to real-world consequences for individuals, communities, and entire societies. There is an urgent need for coordinated, youth-centered, and accessible awareness programs that encourage critical thinking, empathy, and responsible digital citizenship across the continent.
Despite increasing digital access, many young Africans lack the digital literacy and support systems required to navigate online spaces safely. Harmful content spreads rapidly. From cyberbullying and hate speech to dangerous misinformation, leading to real-world consequences for individuals, communities, and entire societies. There is an urgent need for coordinated, youth-centered, and accessible awareness programs that encourage critical thinking, empathy, and responsible digital citizenship across the continent.
3. Campaign Goal
To build a culture of online mindfulness, encouraging individuals, especially youth, to pause, reflect, and act responsibly before sharing information or content online.
To build a culture of online mindfulness, encouraging individuals, especially youth, to pause, reflect, and act responsibly before sharing information or content online.
4. Objectives
• Increase awareness of online risks affecting young people across Africa.
• Promote responsible online behavior and reduce the spread of harmful, misleading, or abusive content.
• Equip youth, parents, and communities with practical skills for safe and meaningful digital engagement.
• Strengthen collaborations with civil society, media, educators, and youth groups to amplify online safety messages.
• Increase awareness of online risks affecting young people across Africa.
• Promote responsible online behavior and reduce the spread of harmful, misleading, or abusive content.
• Equip youth, parents, and communities with practical skills for safe and meaningful digital engagement.
• Strengthen collaborations with civil society, media, educators, and youth groups to amplify online safety messages.
5. Core Activities
• Expert Webinar Series
• Youth Digital Literacy Toolkits
• Community and School
Engagements
• Strategic Partnerships & Co-Creation
• Expert Webinar Series
• Youth Digital Literacy Toolkits
• Community and School
Engagements
• Strategic Partnerships & Co-Creation
6. Expected Outcomes
• A more informed public with increased awareness of key online safety risks.
• Reduced sharing and circulation of harmful or abusive online content.
• Empowered young people capable of navigating digital spaces confidently and safely.
• Greater engagement from policymakers, civil society, and regional partners on online safety and responsible digital governance.
• A more informed public with increased awareness of key online safety risks.
• Reduced sharing and circulation of harmful or abusive online content.
• Empowered young people capable of navigating digital spaces confidently and safely.
• Greater engagement from policymakers, civil society, and regional partners on online safety and responsible digital governance.
7. Partner Engagement
The campaign welcomes organizations interested in co-hosting events, co-creating educational content, or amplifying campaign messages.
The campaign welcomes organizations interested in co-hosting events, co-creating educational content, or amplifying campaign messages.
Thank you for your support!
Together, we can create safer digital spaces free from cyber harassment for teenagers across Southern Africa.
For any inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] For More information, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@DigihubAfrica
Together, we can create safer digital spaces free from cyber harassment for teenagers across Southern Africa.
For any inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] For More information, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@DigihubAfrica