As most African states seek to consolidate democratic gains and work on sustaining peace and stability, the continent is facing a variety of new threats, including those posed by cybercrime and terrorism. These security threats are real, some of them are new, and therefore legitimate national security considerations and the necessities of law enforcement may sometimes – in well-defined cases and under specific circumstances – justify limitations to the right to privacy. However, breaches of the right to privacy can only be justified when they are necessary to achieve a legitimate aim, prescribed by the law, and are proportionate to the aim pursued. It is not acceptable to use national security concerns as a blanket justification to excuse unwarranted privacy breaches. Read more: Protecting the right to privacy in Africa in the digital age
