Zimbabwe Sets Rules for Social Media Use.
The government wants to keep free speech safe but also stop wrong acts online, says Dr. Jenfan Muswere, who runs Zimbabwe's news office. He spoke as more people worry about how social media affects public talk.
Some people who call themselves stars on social media break laws openly, the minister said. The police will put such people in jail.
Dr. Muswere said the government supports a free press and wants newsgroups to grow. Yet, laws exist to prevent people from violating others' rights.
"We watch newsgroups and social media," Dr. Muswere said. "The law lets people speak freely but does not let them harm others. That stays against the law."
The minister pointed to laws about computers and data safety. These rules say anyone who uses the internet to scare or hurt others might face big fines or jail time of up to 10 years.
The law prevents people from sending threats through computers, and it bans taking secret pictures of others without their consent. The rules also ban mean acts online that make others feel bad or want to harm themselves.
Sharing false news to cause harm can result in prison time or fines. The same goes for sending many fake emails to trick people about where they came from.
The minister's words come as Zimbabwe tries to make its online world safer. The government sees both good and bad in new ways to talk online. It wants to help good speech grow but stop bad acts that hurt people.
These rules aim to improve the internet for all people in Zimbabwe. The government hopes these steps will help keep free speech and safety strong as more people use computers to talk with others.
The government wants to keep free speech safe but also stop wrong acts online, says Dr. Jenfan Muswere, who runs Zimbabwe's news office. He spoke as more people worry about how social media affects public talk.
Some people who call themselves stars on social media break laws openly, the minister said. The police will put such people in jail.
Dr. Muswere said the government supports a free press and wants newsgroups to grow. Yet, laws exist to prevent people from violating others' rights.
"We watch newsgroups and social media," Dr. Muswere said. "The law lets people speak freely but does not let them harm others. That stays against the law."
The minister pointed to laws about computers and data safety. These rules say anyone who uses the internet to scare or hurt others might face big fines or jail time of up to 10 years.
The law prevents people from sending threats through computers, and it bans taking secret pictures of others without their consent. The rules also ban mean acts online that make others feel bad or want to harm themselves.
Sharing false news to cause harm can result in prison time or fines. The same goes for sending many fake emails to trick people about where they came from.
The minister's words come as Zimbabwe tries to make its online world safer. The government sees both good and bad in new ways to talk online. It wants to help good speech grow but stop bad acts that hurt people.
These rules aim to improve the internet for all people in Zimbabwe. The government hopes these steps will help keep free speech and safety strong as more people use computers to talk with others.
