Johannesburg - South African social media users are set to boycott using data services on Wednesday, after a call to action on Twitter, with the #SocialMediaBlackout campaign trending on Tuesday.
South African poet and musician, Ntsiki Mazwai asked her over 80 000 Twitter followers to boycott social networks like Facebook and Twitter, in efforts to raise awareness of the high costs of data in the country.
“I will not be on social media on Wednesday 21 June because #DataMustFall and it is long overdue we took action. Don't buy data. Don't login,” she tweeted on Tuesday morning.
The tweet started the hashtag #SocialMediaBlackout, which went on to become the top trend on social media.
The hashtag drew mixed reactions, with many users supporting the cause and vowing to stay offline on Wednesday. Others said that they could not stay off Twitter and Facebook.
The petition was first initiated by radio personality TBo Touch, who wanted to hold mobile networks to account for the high cost of data in the country.
I will not be on social media on Wednesday 21 June because #DataMustFall and it is long overdue we took action. Don't buy data. Don't login. pic.twitter.com/NcOsWB6YQF
— #Abanandaba (@ntsikimazwai) June 19, 2017
Tomorrow South Africans will login to check if people are really taking part in the #SocialMediaBlackout pic.twitter.com/Cx524bi9VX
— BERNECIA???? (@Bernecia) June 20, 2017
Wednesday 21st June it's on #SocialMediaBlackout I will also be participating #DataMustFall pic.twitter.com/a8ZRKEn3VT
— SIBONGILE NTULI???? (@Sibongile_Dust) June 20, 2017
#SocialMediaBlackout and can we not have celebrities taking our struggles as case studies to get themselves corporate deals?#DataMustFall pic.twitter.com/xQx1mlApRu
— Mthandazo Wabo Lova (@JabulaniKhesa) June 19, 2017
The floor is #socialmediablackout
— KARABO_THE_GREAT (@sekwakwariri) June 19, 2017
South Africans : pic.twitter.com/CrMJzVvOXT
#SocialMediaBlackout
We staying away from all social media activity on Wednesday 21st June 2017. Join us and spread the word??#DataMustFall pic.twitter.com/Z9vN2senlw— TJR Maketha (@TJRMakhetha) June 19, 2017