The Internet4Good Video Story Contest

About Internet4Good project

The Internet4Good project seeks to engage and train media practitioners to responsibly report and set agenda on internet use among young Africans – especially in light of sensational reportage about “African internet scammers”. Young people are at the forefront of internet adoption in Africa. According to Research ICT Africa, African youth between ages 15 and 24 have shown increased mobile phone ownership in recent years. While exposure to information and communication technologies (ICTs) has improved learning, communication and innovation, it has also increased the risk of perpetuating or falling victim to internet scams. The most popular of these scams is  Advance Fee Fraud, in which perpetrators convince an individual that they would receive a huge sum of money if they pay a certain amount of money in advance.

Western media platforms like ABC, Vice, BBC, VoA have carried stories on young internet scammers especially from West Africa, which have contributed in shaping a negative international image. In the past decade, this rise of negative reporting around internet scams in Africa has fostered a moral panic around internet use and, in some cases, deprived young Africans from ethical internet-related opportunities.

OUR APPROACH

The overall goal of this project is to contribute to a positive narrative about the internet for young Africans while projecting a better image of young Africans within global media. We seek to achieve this by engaging media professionals and youth through training, advocacy campaigns and collaborative networking.

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become necessary to redesign the format of the programme from a physical workshop for journalists to a hybrid event. We are starting with a virtual pilot that includes a media campaign and webinar from September to December 2020.

This project is supported with funding from the International Alumni Center (iac Berlin) and would be implemented by a team of media professionals within the Bosch Alumni Network Media Cluster.

The I4G Video Story Contest is now open for submission. With the aim contribute to a positive narrative about the internet for young Africans, the Internet4Good project launches the I4G Video Story Contest with the support of the Bosch Alumni Network.

In recent times, there has arisen a notion that the best thing young Africans can do with the internet is to engage in scam or fraud. Global media platforms have carried stories on young internet scammers especially from Africa, which have contributed to shaping a negative international image. This rise of negative reporting around “African internet scams” has fostered a moral panic around internet use and, in some cases, deprived young Africans from ethical internet-related opportunities.

According to Oyindamola Adegboye, the Project Lead for Internet4Good, ” If we do nothing to change this narrative, it would stick. It is time we told our own stories.”

The Internet4Good project therefore encourages young Africans from across the world to share their positive experiences about using the internet – to inspire others and project a better image of themselves within global media.

Eligibility

Citizens of any country in Africa between 18-30 years old are eligible to participate

Submission Guidelines

• Follow @internet4good on Instagram
• Repost the #I4GVideoVideoContest flier on your Instagram page and tag your friends to apply
• Upload your video on Instagram describing your positive experiences using the internet, what you have learnt and how it has impacted your life and others. It should be unedited, not more than 1 minute
• Use the hashtag #I4GVideoStoryContest and tag @internet4good in your caption
• Your story should address one of these themes: Personal Development, Advocacy, Entrepreneurship, Access to Information and Networking
• Multiple entries are not allowed

Prizes

First Prize – 150 Euros

Second Prize – 100 Euros

People’s Choice Prize (the Highest Online Engagement) – 100 Euros

Deadline: 18 October 2020

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