• Members of the Broadcast Content Committee to be appointed soon.

The Government has implored on ethical use of Social Media so as to ensure that Cyber Space remains safe and beneficial to all users for improved living standards of the people and sustainable development of the Country. Users of On-line Content Services have also been urged to observe proper use of services offered through online platforms to shape economic growth and avoid the use of networks that violate National Rules, Regulations and Ethics.

The Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Hon. Pauline Gekul made the appeal during a visit to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) in Dar Es Salaam yesterday (July 23, 2021), saying ethical use of Social Media will have minimized Cyber Crime Offenses and optimize productivity.

During a working visit to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Deputy Minister Gekul insisted that, proper use of services offered by online networks will enable the achievement of development goals for individual users and enable the Government to increase productivity in development of the economy.

During the tour of duty, the Deputy Minister hailed good job that the regulator has been doing in ensuring the cyber space and content broadcast by mainstream media remains safe for consumption. Gekul also had the opportunity to learn how the Authority works and called on broadcasters in the country to ensure that they broadcast content that is based on national values ​​instead of prioritizing broadcasting content that undermines social values.

"We are working closely with TCRA to ensure that the content that is sent by the media to the people is accurate but also conforms to the values ​​of our Nation. I would like to use this opportunity to urge the public that when using these networks, they should use them in a constructive manner that isn’t destructive to Tanzanian norms” stressed the Deputy Minister.

During the visit, Deputy Minister Gekul received presentation on TCRA's duties and responsibilities and later consulted with TCRA Management on cross-cutting issues that falls in the administration hands of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports whereby the Deputy Minister received a briefing and clarifications on how the Authority manages online and broadcast content together with Postal, Courier Services and other services under the Regulator.

Referring to the Content Committee which works in tandem with TCRA, the Deputy Minister noted that the members of the Committee will be appointed soon after expiry of work tenure of members who have been serving in the Committee that has been authorized by law to oversee broadcasting content.

"The work tenure of the current Content Committee has come to an end, however, we have agreed within the next week new members of the committee should be appointed and the Minister is working on this matter, so I have assured TCRA that Minister will appoints the committee and its members will continue with the broadcast content ethics supervisory work” insisted the Deputy Minister.

Speaking during the event, the TCRA Director General, Dr. Jabiri Bakari noted that the cyber space has multiple opportunities to users, with plenty development prospects in particular for the youths and called upon internet network users to harness the available cyber space opportunities for their economic development benefits instead of using the platform against the Rules and regulations of the Country.

"So proper and ethical use of the cyber space, on-line content services, has a great opportunities including creation of jobs and rewarding business prospects, cautioning users not to upload, or circulate prohibited contents that are a setback" he stressed.

During the visit at the TCRA’s Mawasiliano Towers Head Office, the Deputy Minister Gekul visited the Communication Museum Center, Customer Information Center and the Content Monitoring Facility Office.