Big news related to technology has come out from Zimbabwe.The government of Zimbabwe has announced new rules and regulations for social media, requiring WhatsApp group administrators to pay a $50 fee for their role. In addition, every WhatsApp group will now need to be officially registered with the Post and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, which will issue licenses to the group admins.
According to Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Tatenda Mavetira, stated that these steps aim to control the spread of misinformation on social media. The government’s main concern is that false information often leads to social unrest and, in some cases, even riots.
This move also seeks to align with the Data Protection Act. Under this law, personal information is defined as any information that can be used to identify an individual.
Since WhatsApp group admin have access to the mobile numbers of group members, this matter falls within the scope of the Data Protection Act. Through this legislation, the government can now take legal action against individuals committing fraud under the guise of business marketing and customer communication.
