From market squares to timelines: the digital shift of social life in Cameroon 🇨🇲📱🫂

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What used to take place in the streets, neighborhoods, or family gatherings is now happening online. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are reshaping the way people in Cameroon connect and build community. No longer just tools for information or entertainment, they’ve become digital town squares—spaces for social bonding, cultural transmission… and sometimes, chaos.

The new village square 🏘️

From family WhatsApp groups to community Facebook pages, social media has transformed how Cameroonians communicate. People organize tontines (rotating savings groups), announce births and deaths, celebrate weddings—all within a chat or a post. Heated debates unfold, opinions clash, and interactions happen between people who may never meet in person.

“Before, to talk to a friend, you had to go see them. Now, a story is enough to know if they’re doing okay. A post lets you know they’re alive,” says Yannick, a university student.

For younger generations, platforms like TikTok and Instagram serve as tools to make friends, start relationships, or build personal brands. From daily livestreams to endless DM conversations, digital exchanges are steadily replacing face-to-face connections.

“Sometimes I find myself chatting with total strangers on social media. We joke, tease, even argue a bit. But we all know it stays online. That’s what’s beautiful about this space—it brings together people from completely different backgrounds,” says Bertrand, a regular TikTok user.

A window into Cameroonian culture 🎭

This new digital social life has also become a powerful amplifier of local culture. Comedians, food content creators, and dancers remixing traditional moves into TikTok challenges are helping Cameroonian identity reach a global audience.

“I live in France, but thanks to Facebook Lives, I know what dance moves are trending back home. It reconnects me to my culture—and to life in Cameroon,” says Gisèle K., based in Lyon.

From local proverbs and Pidgin phrases to traditional recipes, ancestral knowledge is finding new life online. In this miniaturized world, even longtime rivals can end up crossing paths again—digitally.

The loneliness of hyperconnection 🤳

But there’s a flip side to this hyperconnected life. For some, virtual interactions have replaced real-world relationships entirely, leading to a paradoxical form of isolation.

“I talk to a lot of people on WhatsApp, but sometimes I realize I barely see anyone in real life. I live alone, so unless I’m at work or visiting family, I don’t interact with anyone,” shares Aline, a young professional in Yaoundé.

The thing is, likes and emojis can’t replace a real smile, a handshake, or a shared silence. Many introverts say they “live through” social media—scrolling, liking, silently engaging with content even if they don’t speak to anyone.

A breeding ground for misinformation ⚠️

Social platforms are also fertile ground for disinformation. A photo taken out of context, a fake quote, an edited video—and within hours, outrage spreads like wildfire.

“In a neighborhood Facebook group, someone accused a guy of being a thief. He got assaulted before people realized it wasn’t true. It’s easy to fabricate a story and blame someone. And with AI and other digital tools, it’s only going to get worse,” warns Rodrigue, an entrepreneur.

From viral fake news to digital witch hunts, the risks are very real—and growing.

A quiet revolution, an invisible shock 🌍

With every scroll, like, and comment, we’ve slowly relocated our social lives into our screens. Tam-tams have been replaced by push notifications. Market squares by well-timed Stories.

This transformation has happened quietly—no grand announcement, no disruption. But it changes everything: the way we love, grieve, stay informed, or feel alive. One click can now forge a bond… or ruin a reputation.

Social media isn’t just a tool. It’s a world within our world. And in these digital spaces, we’ve brought along our humanity—its beauty, and its flaws. The real question is: after living so much of our lives online, will we still remember how to truly be together?

We want to hear from you!
Have social media platforms brought you closer to others—or pushed you further away? Drop your thoughts in the comments. ☺️