ABSTRACT
While participatory journalism in Africa can be seen as broadly signalling ‘an expansion of journalistic capabilities’ as well as highlighting the sheer endless possibilities emerging with the era of interactive digital technologies, it also ushers in new threats and entrenches ‘age old’ challenges and normative dilemmas to the practice of journalism. This chapter discusses the ethical threats, challenges and normative dilemmas emerging with the era of participatory journalism. It discusses the common forms of 'dark participation' in sub-Saharan Africa and the complexities around verifying and managing online user generated content. Although developments in AI offer some intriguing possibilities for tackling editorial gaps and limitations in African news media, they also have the potential to entrench old normative dilemmas as well as creating new ones. It is important, however, to note that automated technology can also be used to propagate and circulate misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, especially in countries with high levels of political and social instability such as Zimbabwe.
