Tony Roberts – författare

In an era when hashtag campaigns like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter capture global attention for victims of injustice, politicians and corporations are now spending billions employing Cambridge Analytica-type consultancies to manufacture disinformation - employing trolls, cyborgs and bots to disrupt dialogue and drown-out dissent. In the first study of its kind, this open-access book presents a range of case studies of these emerging dynamics across Africa, mapping and analyzing disinformation operations in ten different countries, and using innovative techniques to determine who is producing and coordinating these increasingly sophisticated disinformation machines.Drawing on scholars from across the continent, case studies document the actors and mechanisms used to profile citizens, manipulate beliefs and behaviour, and close the political space for democratic dialogue and policy debate. Chapters include examinations of how the Nigerian government deployed disinformation when the #EndSARS campaign focused attention on police brutality and corruption; insights into how pro-government actors responded to the viral #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign; and how misogynists mobilized against the #AmINext campaign against gender-based violence in South Africa.Through the documentation of episodes of unruly politics in digital spaces, these studies provide a valuable assessment of the implications of these dynamics for digital rights, moving beyond a focus on elaborations of the idea of ‘fake news’, and providing actionable recommendations in the areas of policy, legislation and practice.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

In an era when hashtag campaigns like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter capture global attention for victims of injustice, politicians and corporations are now spending billions employing Cambridge Analytica-type consultancies to manufacture disinformation - employing trolls, cyborgs and bots to disrupt dialogue and drown-out dissent. In the first study of its kind, this open-access book presents a range of case studies of these emerging dynamics across Africa, mapping and analyzing disinformation operations in ten different countries, and using innovative techniques to determine who is producing and coordinating these increasingly sophisticated disinformation machines.Drawing on scholars from across the continent, case studies document the actors and mechanisms used to profile citizens, manipulate beliefs and behaviour, and close the political space for democratic dialogue and policy debate. Chapters include examinations of how the Nigerian government deployed disinformation when the #EndSARS campaign focused attention on police brutality and corruption; insights into how pro-government actors responded to the viral #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign; and how misogynists mobilized against the #AmINext campaign against gender-based violence in South Africa.Through the documentation of episodes of unruly politics in digital spaces, these studies provide a valuable assessment of the implications of these dynamics for digital rights, moving beyond a focus on elaborations of the idea of ‘fake news’, and providing actionable recommendations in the areas of policy, legislation and practice.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

Since the so-called Arab Spring, citizens of African countries have continued to use digital tools in creative ways to ensure that marginalised voices are heard, and to demand for the rights they are entitled to in law: to freely associate, to form opinions, and to express them online without fear of violence or arrest. The authors of this compelling open access volume have brought to life this dramatic struggle for the digital realm between citizens and governments; documenting in vivid detail how citizens are using mobile and internet tools in powerful viral global campaigns to hold governments accountable and force policy change.With contributions from scholars across the continent, Digital Citizenship in Africa illustrates how citizens have been using VPNs, encryption, and privacy-protecting browsers to resist limits on their rights to privacy and political speech. This book dramatically expands our understanding of the vast and growing arsenal of tech tools, tactics, and techniques now being deployed by repressive governments to limit the ability of citizens to safely and openly express opposition to government and corporate actions. AI-enabled surveillance, covertly deployed disinformation, and internet shutdowns are documented in ten countries, concluding with recommendations on how to curb government and corporate power, and how to re-invigorate digital citizenship across Africa.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

Since the so-called Arab Spring, citizens of African countries have continued to use digital tools in creative ways to ensure that marginalised voices are heard, and to demand for the rights they are entitled to in law: to freely associate, to form opinions, and to express them online without fear of violence or arrest. The authors of this compelling open access volume have brought to life this dramatic struggle for the digital realm between citizens and governments; documenting in vivid detail how citizens are using mobile and internet tools in powerful viral global campaigns to hold governments accountable and force policy change.With contributions from scholars across the continent, Digital Citizenship in Africa illustrates how citizens have been using VPNs, encryption, and privacy-protecting browsers to resist limits on their rights to privacy and political speech. This book dramatically expands our understanding of the vast and growing arsenal of tech tools, tactics, and techniques now being deployed by repressive governments to limit the ability of citizens to safely and openly express opposition to government and corporate actions. AI-enabled surveillance, covertly deployed disinformation, and internet shutdowns are documented in ten countries, concluding with recommendations on how to curb government and corporate power, and how to re-invigorate digital citizenship across Africa.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

Choice 2025 Outstanding Academic TitleMedia coverage and scholarly research on digital surveillance has focused primarily on the USA and Europe. Everyone knows about Cambridge Analytica’s social media surveillance; Edward Snowden’s revelations of the West’s mass internet and phone surveillance; and Pegasus Spyware’s mobile phone surveillance of activists, journalists, judges, and presidents across the world. Comparatively little is known about the millions of dollars now being spent on digital technologies for use in the illegal and illegitimate surveillance of citizens in Africa.In this open-access third volume of Bloomsbury’s Digital Africa series, a broad range of African and European scholars and practitioners map the development, procurement and (mis)use of the ever-expanding suite of digital surveillance and policing technologies across the continent. Drawing on the empirically rich, theoretically sophisticated research of the African Digital Rights Network, this book examines how public and private actors in Africa use spyware, mobile phone extraction, biometric and face recognition systems, and other technologies for smart-city and other social, and social-control, applications. Eight chapters examine eight African countries, and each of these begins with a thorough political history of the nature of surveillance there under colonial and post-liberation political settlements. This enables new analyses of the socio-cultural, political, and economic drivers and characteristics of contemporary digital surveillance in each country, all of which ultimately leads to concrete policy recommendations at local, national, and international levels.For its empirical richness and breadth, as well as its theoretical sophistication, Digital Surveillance in Africa is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary African studies, and it is of keen interest to anyone concerned with how digital surveillance affects everyday lives across the world.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by Civic Futures.

Choice 2025 Outstanding Academic TitleMedia coverage and scholarly research on digital surveillance has focused primarily on the USA and Europe. Everyone knows about Cambridge Analytica’s social media surveillance; Edward Snowden’s revelations of the West’s mass internet and phone surveillance; and Pegasus Spyware’s mobile phone surveillance of activists, journalists, judges, and presidents across the world. Comparatively little is known about the millions of dollars now being spent on digital technologies for use in the illegal and illegitimate surveillance of citizens in Africa.In this open-access third volume of Bloomsbury’s Digital Africa series, a broad range of African and European scholars and practitioners map the development, procurement and (mis)use of the ever-expanding suite of digital surveillance and policing technologies across the continent. Drawing on the empirically rich, theoretically sophisticated research of the African Digital Rights Network, this book examines how public and private actors in Africa use spyware, mobile phone extraction, biometric and face recognition systems, and other technologies for smart-city and other social, and social-control, applications. Eight chapters examine eight African countries, and each of these begins with a thorough political history of the nature of surveillance there under colonial and post-liberation political settlements. This enables new analyses of the socio-cultural, political, and economic drivers and characteristics of contemporary digital surveillance in each country, all of which ultimately leads to concrete policy recommendations at local, national, and international levels.For its empirical richness and breadth, as well as its theoretical sophistication, Digital Surveillance in Africa is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary African studies, and it is of keen interest to anyone concerned with how digital surveillance affects everyday lives across the world.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by Civic Futures.

This open access book provides ten in-depth case studies of state-sponsored internet shutdowns across all regions of Africa. In so doing, it offers the first-ever comparative analysis of how African states use internet shutdowns as tools to close civic space, suppress opposition, and maintain power.Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns – some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

This open access book provides ten in-depth case studies of state-sponsored internet shutdowns across all regions of Africa. In so doing, it offers the first-ever comparative analysis of how African states use internet shutdowns as tools to close civic space, suppress opposition, and maintain power.Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns – some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

This open access edited collection offers the first-ever book-length volume on feminist digital citizenship in Africa. It offers multiple, theoretically grounded case studies by African researchers covering countries across the length and breadth of the continent, including non-majority-English countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal, which tend to receive less coverage in Anglophone scholarship.These studies newly identify uniquely African practices of digital feminist activism. In so doing, they further develop our understanding feminist digital citizenship, especially when it comes to globally relevant themes such as intersections between gender and class and between gender and religion. This leads in turn to new insights into the developmental phases and overall nature of digital social movements more generally.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Bloomsbury Open Collections Library Collective.

This open access edited collection offers the first-ever book-length volume on feminist digital citizenship in Africa. It offers multiple, theoretically grounded case studies by African researchers covering countries across the length and breadth of the continent, including non-majority-English countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal, which tend to receive less coverage in Anglophone scholarship.These studies newly identify uniquely African practices of digital feminist activism. In so doing, they further develop our understanding feminist digital citizenship, especially when it comes to globally relevant themes such as intersections between gender and class and between gender and religion. This leads in turn to new insights into the developmental phases and overall nature of digital social movements more generally.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Bloomsbury Open Collections Library Collective.

In this first-ever book on biometric digital ID in Africa, nine open-access country case studies from across the continent explore who is driving the rapid pace of change, who benefits and who is disadvantaged.As widespread adoption of digital-IDs expands across the world, concerns emerge regarding its implications for mass surveillance, human rights violations, state control, and political influence. While millions of African citizens benefit from the convenience of digitally verifying their entitlement to certain services, this ability is being distributed unevenly and comes at the cost of privacy and with the risk of data misuse. As governments make access to essential services including education, healthcare, voting, mobile phone and banking conditional on provision of personal and biometric data, millions are being excluded. Many rural, elderly, illiterate, disabled, and stateless people cannot enrol and are locked out of essential services and entitlements. The effects of these digital identification systems on citizens’ rights and power relations in Africa are not well understood.This book addresses that deficit. Each chapter is written by digital rights researchers or emerging African scholars and offers in-depth examinations of these crucial issues through the real-life experiences of African citizens. Each chapter situates the emergence of biometric digital-ID within that country’s specific political and economic context, as well as its pre-digital forms of identification and governance.The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Open Society Foundations.

Gathering nine country case studies from every region in Africa, this open access book explores who biometric digital-ID benefits and who it disadvantages. As technological advancements lead to widespread adoption of digital-IDs across the world, concerns are emerging regarding their potential role in mass surveillance, human rights violations, state control,and political influence. While millions of African citizens benefit from the increased speed and convenience of being able to digitally verify their entitlement to certain services, many rural, elderly, illiterate, disabled, and stateless people are now unable to access the same services. The effects of digital identification systems on citizens rights and power relations in Africa are not well understood. This book addresses that deficit. Each chapter is written by digital rights researchers or emerging African scholars, and offers in-depth examinations of these crucial issues through the real-life experiences of African citizens. Each chapter is situates the emergence of biometric digital-ID within that country's specific political and economic context, as well as its pre-digital forms of identification and governance. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Open Society Foundations.

Tiring of a life in Egypt, the Eternal Mercenary decides on an exploration of the lands to the east, and sails with his woman, Ayesha, to India where they are shipwrecked on the west coast.Being who and what he is, it isn't long before he gets involved in a local dispute with a criminal gang and decides to help the townsfolk.  Even when that is resolved, Casca's wanderlust takes him to the capital of the Chalukyan Kingdom where he enrols in a war against the rival kingdom of Pullava, but he soon finds that the army he is with does not seem ready for war, and the truth when he finds it is not to his liking.He will have to fight hard to extricate himself from a developing mess and save Ayesha into the bargain!

Dashed ashore from a violent storm, Casca finds himself in Scotland which is riven by a succession crisis.  The old king is dead and two rivals vie for power.  The English king, Edward Longshanks, chooses one and then insists on running Scotland through his puppet choice.The Scots object and Casca is drawn in the resulting war, joining forces with Scottish rebel William Wallace and fighting with him against the forces that England send in to enforce their rule.With help from a Scottish warrior Angus, Casca finds a place to stay and falls for Angus's sister Kathleen, who willingly becomes the Eternal Mercenary's lover.But when the war turns against the outnumbered Scots, Casca becomes hunted and has to not only fight to remain free, but also to save Kathleen from a gruesome fate at the hands of the English.

The Russian invasion of the Ukraine in early 2022 drew in soldiers from all over the world to fight for one side or the other.  Just the kind of conflict the Eternal Mercenary Casca Rufio Longinus would get involved in, and he made his way to Central Europe to pick up a contract.But other people knew he would be seeking to take part and contacted him with a mission that they knew he would find impossible to resist – to stop the Brotherhood of the Lamb from obtaining a top- secret weapon they had abandoned in 1986 when Chernobyl had gone up.Now they were back, infiltrating the Russian military as it swept through Chernobyl on its way to Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, in order to find this weapon and complete it so they could use it on an unsuspecting world.Casca – taking the name Carlos Romano – knew time was not on his side as he accepted the mission, but armed with the latest weaponry and assisted by a trusted and no-nonsense ally, he knew he must not fail in a race for this weapon. To thwart the Brotherhood in their evil plans he would have to become their Hunter.

Propelled into the public consciousness by the best-selling single of 2000, Siren returns to the world of rock music, and their brilliant comeback and stage show wows both the public and the critics alike.  It seems fate has smiled kindly on the quartet and the future looks secure.However opposition to Katie's stage act rear its head amongst some influential people in the States and their tour there falls under threat.  Katie, though, is nothing but a fighter and take on the conservatives head-on, culminating in a public argument with no-one other than the President.Katie's – and Siren's – reputation is made in the aftermath and on both sides of the Atlantic they become regarded as rock royalty.  More hits follow and Katie's life seems fulfilled both professionally and personally.   But just when nothing could seem to go wrong, an earth-shattering revelation plunges her into deep despair and threatens once again to rip the band apart.