• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

Government Moves to Regulate Tanzania Political Speech Online

by DC Editors - April 25, 2018

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Tanzania Political Speech Online

From Voice of America:

Bloggers and others running online platforms in Tanzania have two weeks to register with the government or face fines and jail time. Rights groups are expressing concern about the measure, which stems from a new law regulating online content.

The new law in Tanzania targets online platforms such as blogs, podcasts and live streaming content, for example via YouTube channels.

The government said it will monitor the platforms for hate speech, obscene content and threats to national security and public order.

Local bloggers fear the oversight will be used to stifle dissent.

Maxence Melo is the co-founder of Jamii forums, a website about corruption in Tanzania. He has been detained several times since 2015, with two formal arrests.

“We have been a lot of pressure from our government in the past years because authorities wanted to know our whistleblowers, and we said we cannot do this,” said Melo. “And most of the whistleblowers were people helping to reveal some misconduct in the government. As we speak, we are facing three trials, and all of them are about revealing our sources of our stories.”

Tanzania’s government spokesman declined VOA’s request for an interview.

On Friday, the Tanzania communication regulatory authority said the owners of online platforms must pay about $900 to get a license. The state agency also said it would use suspensions to force the removal of content it deems in violation of the law.

Those who fail to comply with the new regulations could face fines and up to a year in jail.

Reporters Without Borders has slammed the license fee as “exorbitant” and called the new law “the latest blow to free speech in Tanzania.”

Since taking office in 2015, President John Magufuli has cracked down on a range of issues, including corruption, tardiness among civil servants, and criticism of his government.

Newspapers seen as critical of his administration have been shut down or had their licenses suspended.In February, two opposition politicians were jailed for allegedly insulting the president.

Henry Maina is the East Africa regional director for Article 19, a global NGO that promotes freedom of expression and information worldwide.

“Tanzanians are beginning to organize themselves online, and so here is a clear measure of a state policy to try and close down civic space,” said Maina. “And in so doing, they are not only closing down civic space, but they are closing down virtual space so that Tanzanians cannot organize.”

Maina points to a regional trend. Countries including Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia have cut the internet or restricted access to certain social media sites during times of unrest.

Rights groups such as Article 19 urge restraint.

“There is a big discussion globally on how to regulate social media, but that must not be equated to criminalizing social media. Yes, regulation may be required,” but only for several purposes, Maina said, adding those would include protecting national security, public morality, public health and individuals’ reputations. “Any other reason that a state may throw up as a reason for regulating or controlling social media in itself will be a violation of human rights.”

In Tanzania, bloggers and other administrators of online platforms have until May 5 to register. Their licenses will then come up for renewal, for a fee, every three years.

Khaleed Abubakar contributed reporting for this story from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: International Democracy Tagged With: Africa, Journalism and Free Speech, Tanzania

About DC Editors

We are your source for news on the all important effort to establish and strengthen democracy across the globe. Our international team with dozens of independent authors are your gateway into the raging struggle for free and fair elections on every continent with a focus on election reform in the United States. See our Facebook Page and also follow us on Twitter @demchron.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | ALL NEWS | WORLD | Government Moves to Regulate Tanzania Political Speech Online

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

Harnessing The Power Of “We The People” On Independence Day

By Jenna Spinelle July 3, 2022

Democracy does not have a singular definition, which is one of the things that makes it so interesting to me — and undoubtedly to many of you.

Florida Doesn’t Need a Speech Czar

By Steve Schneider June 28, 2022

Full disclosure: I’m a liberal Democrat. So, I won’t be sending in my vote-by-mail ballot for Ron DeSantis in November. Nor will I vote for him in 2024.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

Introducing: When The People Decide

By Jenna Spinelle June 25, 2022

Several activists and average citizens have changed their communities and the country by taking important issues directly to votes.

Democracy’s Summer Blockbusters

By Jenna Spinelle June 8, 2022

The summer will be legally and politically charged particularly with the January 6 committee hearings scheduled to begin June 9.

Can American Democracy Have Nice Things?

By Jenna Spinelle June 7, 2022

Universal voting would be the surest way to protect against voter suppression and the active disenfranchisement of a large share of our citizens.

PODCAST: Baby Boomers And American Gerontocracy

By Jenna Spinelle May 23, 2022

Older and younger voters are increasingly at odds: Republicans as a whole skew gray-haired, and within the Democratis, the left-leaning youth vote.

A Dangerous Reprise Of American Exceptionalism In Ukraine

By Jamie Lampidis May 15, 2022

The stakes are too high to cave into Putin’s phantasmatic imperial play, and too high to believe that this war can be won by arming Ukrainians.

On The Coming End Of Roe v. Wade

By Peter J. Dellolio May 11, 2022

Anyone who says that the evolution of law has nothing to do with politics is either very corrupt or very stupid. Laws evolved through the centuries.

Goodbye Roe v. Wade, Goodbye Rule Of Law

By Andrew Straw May 5, 2022

Congress should impeach judges who act like that because it is not good behavior, and they were asked not to act that way when they were confirmed.

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

India: Why Are Punjab Political Singers Under Attack?

India: Why Are Punjab Political Singers Under Attack?

June 8, 2022

The murder of Sidhu Moose Wala has brought attention to the link between Punjabi music and India’s cross-border criminal networks.

University Educated Less Likely To Endorse Authoritarianism

University Educated Less Likely To Endorse Authoritarianism

June 4, 2022

Higher education is now seen as a new political cleavage, with level of education increasingly important in describing political attitudes.

From Cake To Volunteers, Welcome To Australia’s Democracy Day

From Cake To Volunteers, Welcome To Australia’s Democracy Day

May 25, 2022

The atmosphere in the interstate polling booth in Sydney’s inner east resembled that of an emergency room waiting for a donor organ.

Kenyan 'Cartooning For Peace' To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

Kenyan ‘Cartooning For Peace’ To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

May 17, 2022

Cartooning is an art that has been playing a major role in illustrating stories in different ways, from health to politics, and even sports.

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers' Anxiety, Even Online

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers’ Anxiety, Even Online

May 17, 2022

Organizational leader’s tweets can influence employee anxieties and this effect is more prominent since the rise of COVID-19, study.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy