Innovative approaches key to safeguarding Tanzanian youth online
What you need to know:
- Msuva, who was one of the panellists at the debate, says the majority of the youth on social media platforms are primarily interested in entertainment and income generation opportunities.
Dar es Salaam. Regulatory bodies in the communications sector have been advised to employ entertainment methods in educating the youth on proper and effective internet use.
Bridge for Change director, Mr Ochek Msuva, issued the advice during a youth debate on the use of the internet held over the weekend here.
The event coincided with the launch of a report on online safety and security for youth, organised by Mulika Tanzania.
Mr Msuva, who was one of the panellists at the debate, said the majority of the youth on social media platforms are primarily interested in entertainment and income generation opportunities.
Therefore, he suggested that authorities could effectively disseminate their educational messages once they decide to use the entertainment avenue.
"The TikTok platform is a good example, despite being relatively new, it has garnered a large popularity and following solely due to its entertainment value, and thus it is being utilised by government authorities in various countries. Therefore, local authorities in the country should also come up with educational outreach, focusing on concise messaging," he said.
In the tabling report of the research, Mulika Tanzania investigative and communication officer, Mr Whitney Satory, said 80 percent of the surveyed youth expressed feeling unsafe in their usage of online platforms.
"Youth expressed concerns about threats and harassment, particularly affecting young women who often find their intimate photos distributed without their consent," she said.
Mulika Tanzania programme officer, Marx Chocha, highlighted the research aimed at addressing the safety concerns of youth, who are the predominant users of these platforms, with findings intended to guide authorities' ineffective interventions.
“In their feedback, the youth called for more education on how to report incidents of harassment and threats because victims suffer from stress and confusion when they face such situations,” said Chocha on behalf of the organisation’s director, Hussein Malele.
According to Chocha, youth acknowledged available opportunities on social media platforms despite challenges of data package affordability and network reliability, which disproportionately affect rural youth and their families.
"In the report, Ms Marry Mbago pointed out that these challenges could deny many youths, especially those in rural areas with low incomes, access to these opportunities, affecting not only them but also their dependents," according to the report.
During the debate, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) chief information and communication technology (ICT) officer, Ms Irene Kahwili, called on the youth facing online harassment to report the incidents to the law enforcement organs for appropriate action to take place.
"We have seen cases where individuals report to TCRA when they face online harassment. I want to emphasise that these are crime offences like any others; therefore, they should be reported to the police," insisted Ms Kahwili.
Assistant Inspector of Police from the Cybercrime Unit, Alpha Assey, advised the youth to carefully choose their language and the content they want to share on their social media platforms to avoid legal repercussions.
"I want to emphasise that not everything posted online requires your opinion. Analyse whether your comments are appropriate and in what language to avoid future legal consequences, as there are no boundaries in expressing opinions," cautioned Assey.
International Media Support (IMS) programme manager, Ms Fausta Msokwa, encouraged the youth to verify online information before sharing, emphasising the importance of ethical standards in content creation.
