Several Africa countries are seeking efforts to control online content in the effort to fight cyber related crimes such as hate speech, misinformation (fake news), among others. Countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, DR Congo, Burundi and Zambia are among the countries in Africa which have in 2018 proposed or passed laws and regulations that undermine public confidence in the use of online platforms and could lead to increased self-censorship by media, civil society groups and individual citizens, as well as to their withdrawal from online discourse. This session will discuss past and current trends and challenges in regulation of online content in Africa while offering alternative approaches that can enhance adoption and use of these online platforms for civic participation, freedom of expression, access to information and countering hate speech among others. The session will also provide where necessary practical tips on how to circumvent online censorship while drawing participants to the digital rights lounge where they will receive additional digital security tips and additional information about digital rights activism in Uganda.