TCRA wants VPN users to come clean, reveal their IP addresses
What you need to know:
- TCRA reminds the public that engaging in rendering, possessing, or distributing technology, programmes, applications, or related tools that allow or aid users in accessing prohibited content is an offense.
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has issued a directive to individuals and companies who rely on Virtual Private Networks (VPN) for their operations to declare their VPN usage and provide all relevant information, including their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, to the authority before the end of this month.
TCRA also reminds the public that engaging in rendering, possessing, or distributing technology, programmes, applications, or related tools that allow or aid users in accessing prohibited content is an offense.
Conviction for this offense can result in a fine of not less than Sh5 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than 12 months, or both.
The authority issued this public notice on Friday, October 13, 2023, in a statement signed by Director General Dr Jabiri Bakari.
The statement emphasizes TCRA's mandate to regulate electronic and postal communication services in Tanzania.
According to the statement, TCRA has observed a significant increase in the use of VPNs to access prohibited content, which contravenes regulations.
Regulation 16(2) of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, 2020, explicitly states that individuals shall not render, possess, or distribute technology, programmes, applications, or any other related tools that facilitate access to prohibited content.
Therefore, TCRA calls upon the general public, as well as individuals and companies who find VPN use indispensable for their operations, to declare their VPN usage and provide all relevant information, including their IP address, to the Authority by or before October 30, 2023, using the online form available at https://www.tcra.go.tz/vpn-details-form.
TCRA has the authority to take regulatory actions against unauthorised VPN use, including disabling access to such VPNs, in accordance with Regulation 19(b) of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, 2020, which grants TCRA the power to enforce regulatory actions against non-compliance, including the disabling of access to prohibited content.
