Cyberbullying: Daylight ghost distressing young Tanzanians

They have to go there searching for knowledge and skills—learning, research, trade, entertainment, leisure, and sharing information—to mention but a few.

However, many users have fallen victim to the harmful impact of technology development, especially that caused by cyberbullying, which has subjected them to different forms of mistreatment.

Ordinary Tanzanians and celebrities have found themselves victimised to the extent of opting to abstain from using social media.

Attempts to commit suicide and sometimes homicides have been reported in some parts of the country as the result of cyberbullying.

Ms Zainabu Ramadhan, 23, a college student in Dar es Salaam, says cyberbullying subjected her to serious mistreatment, especially after colleagues nicknamed her Zuwena.

“The name reflects a video vixen featured in one of the famous musicians. However, she carries bad characteristics that nobody would like to associate with her name.

“It was like a joke when my colleagues started referring to me as Zuwena. I thought it wouldn’t take long for it to last. To my surprise, the name gained more popularity in the college WhatsApp group,” she narrates.

According to her, group members started sharing stickers and GIFs on the group, something that she felt was an ugly campaign against her.

“I was forced to leave the very meaningful group to distance myself from what has been going on. I will rely on my friend’s verbal communication to get access to class information,” she says.

Like many college students, Ms Ramadhani hasn’t reported the mistreatment to the college administration for fear of possible misunderstandings with classmates that may follow.

Furthermore, she says the development has reduced her communication confidence with classmates because they don’t have respect for her.

Mr Michael Samson, 31, a resident of Dar es Salaam, says he has been receiving negative comments on social networks because of the size of his body.

He says people have been sharing sarcastic messages accompanied by his photos, including online sellers of male enhancement pills.

“They are using my photos as if I suffer from sexual dysfunction. They want to convey a message that people with a large body size like mine should go for the service,” he says.

“On different platforms, some users call me insulting names such as “Bonge Nyanya, Tipwa Tipwa, etc. in order to describe the size of my body,” he narrates.

He says the increase in the trend has forced him to withdraw from using social media platforms, particularly Instagram.

“I like social media because of their fastness in conveying information and updates, but I have started fearing them for the role they play in traumatising me.

“There was a time when I was seriously tormented that my mother took me to a psychologist for counselling so that I could return to normalcy,” he shares.

He said he never reported the incidents to law enforcers because he was ignorant of the law protecting people against mistreatment and harassment caused by cyberbullying. Ms Jane Stewart, a resident of Mwanza, says it has been five years now since they lost a young sister who couldn’t withstand online abuse after a boyfriend shared her naked photos online.

“Cyberbullying is a serious problem, especially for youngsters. They have to be very careful in their relationships. They should avoid taking nude photos that, when shared online, can put not only the girls in trouble but also the whole family and friends,” she shares.

“Laws and regulations should be tightened in order to scare perpetrators of cyberbullying. Social media and online platforms should remain sources of consolidation for the country’s development instead of embarrassment,” says Mr Joachim Liwanda, a resident of Arusha.

According to him, his young sister narrowly escaped death when she attempted to commit suicide after failing to withstand an online insult, noting that most of the incidents are related to love, passion, and betrayal.

However, a psychologist, Ms Irene Constantine, says the symptoms of a person affected by cyberbullying are clear, despite the fact that they are closely related to those shown by people with Mental Health Disorders (MHDs).

She names some as depression, self-isolation, and exclusion from participation in social activities the person is used to.

“We are supposed to be cautious when we see close friends and siblings displaying these symptoms. They should be shown deep love and brought close, and if possible, involve psychologists,” he suggests.

Another psychologist, Mr Kitamile Alex, says cyberbullying affects people’s mental health to the extent that they fail to withstand what takes place on social media.

“Many suffer from depression that can lead to suicide. The immense pressure from online bullying takes away their peace of mind to the extent that they feel there is no way they can restore their happiness,” he says.

According to him, cyberbullying and suicide have strong bonds, noting that the victims are sometimes very angry due to a decline in self-confidence and use self-defensive mechanisms against everything coming their way.

“Some of them decide to take revenge against perpetrators of cyberbullying, especially people who know each other,” he says.

Mr Kitamile suggests that people, especially youth, should avoid posting anything related to their lives on social media.

“People should know how to keep their private lives secret. Social media platforms should be used positively to benefit users. Victims of cyberbullying should receive treatment from psychologists in order to enable them to return to normalcy.

“Priority should be about saving lives and the future of our people. Since most of the victims are youth, scaling up protection means we are preserving the country’s workforce,” he said.

Tanzania enacted the Cybercrime Act in 2015, which aimed to address challenges facing users of electronic means of communication, especially crimes committed online.

Section 23(1) of the Act prohibits individuals from initiating or sending any electronic communication to another person with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause emotional distress.

Subsection 2 of the Act reveals that a person contravening the provisions of subsection 1 commits an offence and would be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than Sh5 million, to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, or to both.

Speaking to The Citizen, an advocate, Mr Boniphace Joseph, says people should report the incidents to law enforcers for the law to take its course.

“Citizens should break their silence. The perpetrators will be arraigned after the investigation. Those convicted will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he says. Police Spokesperson David Misime says there is an increasing number of people reporting incidents of cyberbullying today compared to the last three years.

“Not all people have cyberbullying awareness. Tanzanians should know that perpetrators can be sued and handed heavy punishment.

“The Police Force will continue providing education to increase awareness among citizens that cyberbullying is a criminal offence.” The media, universities, and other institutions should support the Police Force to reduce, if not eliminate, the nightmare,” he adds.

He says the provision of education should be the responsibility of every Tanzanian in order to end cyberbullying’s associated challenges and impacts.

Mr Misime called for the exposure of perpetrators and to ensure they provide exhibits during their prosecution in order to hold them accountable.