SECTOR 1 1.8 Websites, blogs and other digital platforms are not required to register with, or obtain permission, from state authorities. Currently, there is no requirement in Ghana for websites, blogs and other digital platforms to register with or obtain permission from state authorities in order to operate. “With digitisation, we don’t know how the future landscape will be though.” Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 5.0 (2006:n/a; 2008:n/a; 2011:5.0; 2013:4.7) 1.9 The state does not seek to block or filter Internet content unless in accordance with laws that provide for restrictions that serve a legitimate interest and are necessary in a democratic society, and which are applied by independent courts. “Here in Ghana, we do not block anything.” Panellists agreed that the state has not blocked or filtered Internet content and that there has been no recorded incidence of this happening. Following the 2016 elections, “the Former IGP [Inspector General of Police] has repeatedly denied the claim that the government wanted to block social media [despite reports of his intention to do so]. NMC conducted an audit of police systems, and satisfied themselves that no attempt to block or filter Internet content had been made.” Whether the state has the capacity to block Internet content is also questionable. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2017 21