Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere said the government is drafting new legislation to regulate social media platforms in response to the growing challenges posed by their unregulated use.
Speaking at a “Ministers Meet the Media” event in Harare on Wednesday, 12 March, Muswere said the new law would strengthen the governance of social media, addressing a gap not only in Zimbabwe but across Africa. He said:
Social media is not properly governed, and this has led to a situation where people are chasing shadows — shadows that have no meaning, shadows run by ghost accounts operated by individuals seeking to demonise their own country.
In other cases, we have people who have transitioned from journalists to ‘cashvists’ and politicians and they do not have any iota of information in terms of the access to information and the current Government structure…
Part of our responsibility as a ministry is to ensure that social media is governed effectively.
We are preparing new legislation to regulate these platforms and hold users accountable.
Muswere urged journalists to uphold ethical standards, verify facts, and obtain information from official government sources, including ministers, commissioners, permanent secretaries, and other relevant officials.
More: The Herald
𝕮𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖉 𝕿𝖆𝖑𝖐 · 1 month ago
Regulating social media is a complex challenge for governments due to its global nature, anonymity, and privacy concerns. Here are some reasons why:
Challenges
1. *Global jurisdiction*: Social media platforms operate globally, making it difficult for governments to enforce regulations across borders.
2. *Anonymity and pseudonyms*: Users can create accounts with pseudonyms or remain anonymous, making it hard to identify and track individuals.
3. *Ghost accounts*: Fake or dormant accounts can be used to spread misinformation or propaganda, making regulation more complicated.
4. *Strict privacy policies*: Social media platforms have robust privacy policies, which can limit governments' access to user data.
Regulatory approaches
Despite these challenges, governments can explore various regulatory approaches:
1. *National laws and regulations*: Governments can establish laws and regulations specific to their jurisdiction, such as requiring social media platforms to remove hate speech or misinformation.
2. *International cooperation*: Governments can collaborate with other countries to develop common standards and guidelines for social media regulation.
3. *Platform-specific regulations*: Governments can work with social media platforms to develop platform-specific regulations, such as Twitter's rules for political advertising.
4. *Self-regulation*: Social media platforms can establish their own community standards and moderation policies, which can be influenced by government guidelines.
Examples of social media regulation
Some countries have implemented regulations on social media:
1. *Germany's Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG)*: Requires social media platforms to remove hate speech and misinformation within 24 hours.
2. *Singapore's Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA)*: Empowers authorities to order the removal of false information and impose penalties on social media platforms.
3. *India's Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021*: Requires social media platforms to establish grievance redressal mechanisms and remove objectionable content.
While regulating social media is challenging, governments can explore various approaches to address concerns around misinformation, hate speech, and online safety.