What do Uganda, Iran and Tanzania have in common? During moments of political tension, the internet went quiet — and many of us ran to VPNs to stay online. We prepared, we survived, we stayed connected. But once the internet came back, few of us paused to ask what those VPNs were really doing, what risks we took while using them, and what we should do next. This is a calm, honest reflection on staying connected — and staying safe — after the shutdown.

Dear Uganda, welcome back from the naughty corner. Not fully free, not fully connected — just back in bits. TVs were on, radios were loud, but timelines went quiet. In the silence, something unexpected happened: meals were eaten without scrolling, conversations stretched longer, and many of us realised how tired we are from being constantly online. It wasn’t applause for a shutdown — it was a reminder that digital habits matter too.

Election season does strange things to the internet. WhatsApp groups wake up, everyone knows someone who “works somewhere,” and official-looking notices begin circulating faster than context. This piece explores how disinformation now arrives calmly and convincingly, why panic spreads faster than facts during elections, and how staying informed doesn’t mean staying anxious — it means slowing down, verifying, and choosing not to forward fear.