Tanzania has finally signed into law its new regulation that will govern social media and blogging. The regulation known as the Electronic and Postal
Tanzania has finally signed into law its new regulation that will govern social media and blogging. The regulation known as the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations 2017, came into effect during March 2018. Among some interesting laws as stated in the regulation is a license fee to be charged to Tanzanians operating online radio stations and video (TV) websites. Besides, bloggers too are require to apply for a license (to blog) from the TCRA. Just like what is stipulated for online radio and TV websites, bloggers will be required to pay a license fee upon registration as well as an annual fees.
Tanzania’s government has said that the law will help to put a stop to the moral decadence caused by social media and the Internet in the country. The eastern Afrikan country’s policy makers also said that social media is a threat to Tanzania’s national security. Another peculiar part of the regulations is that everyone in Tanzania will be required to have a password (PIN) for locking their mobile phones, and failure to have this will result in a fine of approximately $2,000 or even 12 months imprisonment, or both depending on what the court decides.
Online content publishers (blogs, podcasts, videos) will apply for a license at a fee of 100,000 Tanzanian Shillings, pay an initial license fee of 1,000,000 Tanzanian Shillings and an annual license fee of 1,000,000 Tanzanian Shillings. This means to run something as simple as a personal blog if you live in Tanzania, you’d have to spend an initial (approximately) $900 in license fees.
