UNITED NATIONS: In recent years, technological developments and the liberalization of media markets have fueled an explosive change in media and communication, with profound implications for how people are informed, how they interact with each other, and how they participate in public life.

Access to the Internet and mobile phones is rising rapidly. While only 13 percent of the population of Africa subscribe to Facebook, this figure grew 810 percent in the period 2010-2017. Similar patterns can be seen across other regions, suggesting a significant shift in the way that people are gaining information and engaging with others.