The internet wasn’t built for us.
It was built to extract from us.
From the data you give away for free to the platform systems that erase your voice, African users are navigating a digital world that’s more exploitative than empowering.
But here’s the truth:
You don’t have to wait for a revolution to start resisting.
You can begin with your scroll, your settings, your captions, your code.
This is your everyday guide to decolonising your digital life.
Not with hashtags but with habits.
- Claim Your Content
Post with power. License with intention.
• Add captions like: “No use without permission. Licensing: yourname@email.com”
• Use watermarks or signatures on your visuals
• Track reposts with tools like Google Reverse Image Search or Pixsy
• Say no to unpaid brand “collabs” that ask for free content in exchange for “exposure”
Why it matters:your creativity is not a trend. It’s intellectual property. You’re not here to feed the algorithm, you’re here to own your voice.
- Break Platform Dependency
If a platform can silence you, it shouldn’t own your community.
• Start an email list or newsletter
• Build a website or portfolio
• Use messaging channels (like WhatsApp or Telegram groups) to engage your audience directly
• Diversify: don’t rely on one app to host your story
Why it matters:Platform slavery thrives on dependence. Digital sovereignty begins with decentralisation.
- Audit Your Algorithm
The feed is not neutral so don’t treat it like gospel.
• Pay attention to what content gets shown (and what doesn’t)
• Notice if your reach changes based on language, skin tone, hashtags, or themes
• Use platform tools to view your engagement metrics and question what’s being suppressed
• Share and uplift other African voices that are being shadowed or excluded
Why it matters:Algorithmic injustice is real. But awareness is the first step to resisting invisibility.
- Block the Extractors
Don’t let your data be mined in silence.
• Use browsers like Brave or Firefox with privacy settings enabled
• Block third-party cookies
• Disable ad tracking on your devices
• Install plugins like Privacy Badger, DuckDuckGo, or uBlock Origin
• Read app permissions before installing if it doesn’t need your mic or camera, deny it
Why it matters:You don’t need to be off-grid to be free. But you do need to stop giving away your digital self for free.
- Support Afrocentric Platforms & Tools
Build the future by using the tools that reflect it.
• Try open-source or local platforms made by African technologists
• Collaborate with creators who build tools that reflect your language, culture, and values
• Advocate for African data centres, regulation, and creator-focused apps
Why it matters:We can’t win inside systems built to erase us. We must support—and build—our own.
- Challenge Exploitation Publicly
Make platform injustice visible. Name it. Shame it. Change it.
• Call out brands and platforms when they steal, silence, or exploit
• Share your own algorithm suppression stories
• Document unfair deals or manipulative influencer campaigns
• Join digital rights coalitions and creator protection groups
Why it matters:Silence protects systems. Speaking up shifts culture.
- Educate Your Circle
Knowledge spreads faster than any platform update.
• Share resources like the [Platform Power Glossary]
• Talk to your creative friends about licensing, copyright, and AI scraping
• Host a digital rights night or group chat discussion
• Pass the mic to creators who teach digital justice, not just content trends
Why it matters:A network of informed creators is more powerful than any algorithm.
Final Word: Resistance Is a Daily Act
You don’t need to code to decolonise.
You don’t need a platform to fight back.
You just need intention, community, and clarity.
Because your scroll is political.
Your content is currency.
And your resistance is possible every single day.
Want to take it further?
• Download our Platform Power Glossary
• Join an upcoming Claim the Code workshop
• Follow @ClaimTheCode and tag a friend who’s ready to reclaim their digital power
We create. We resist. We recode.
One post. One permission. One platform at a time.
Certified And Creative 
Leave a comment