Trolls’ paradise: Exposing the sinister side of social media

Dar es Salaam. What was once widely celebrated as a powerful tool for connection, self-expression and economic opportunity is increasingly becoming a hostile environment for many Tanzanians.

Social media platforms that promised inclusion and opportunity are now emerging as new frontlines of harassment, abuse and exploitation, particularly affecting children, young people and women.

No longer limited to communication or business, these digital spaces have evolved into arenas where expressing an opinion, sharing a photograph, or posting professional content carries significant risk.

Many users recount being attacked in comment sections, flooded with insults, subjected to sexually explicit remarks, or targeted through coordinated online abuse.

For some, these encounters escalate rapidly from words to threats, blackmail, or intimidation.

As a result, self-censorship has become common. Users disable comments, delete posts, lock their accounts, or withdraw completely from online engagement.

For a growing number of Tanzanians, silence has become the only reliable form of self-protection in an increasingly aggressive digital environment.

This trend has coincided with rapid growth in internet access. By early 2025, Tanzania had an estimated 6.75 million active social media users, representing about 19 percent of the adult population.

By late 2025, that figure had risen to nearly 7.95 million, reflecting accelerated digital adoption.

Facebook remains the most widely used platform, followed by Instagram and YouTube, while TikTok has surged in popularity among young people.

With expansion, however, has come a darker side of online interaction. What often begins as verbal abuse in comments or private messages increasingly escalates into blackmail, online child sexual exploitation and technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).

Experts warn that social media’s speed, reach and anonymity amplify harm, allowing abuse to spread rapidly while making it difficult for victims to escape.

Observations by The Citizen over the past year indicate that such behaviour intensified significantly during the 2025 general election period and has continued to accelerate since.

Analysts argue that digital platforms mirror and magnify existing inequalities, power struggles and social tensions already present in society.

Evidence of the scale of the problem is troubling. The 2022 Disrupting Harm Report estimates that four percent of Tanzanian internet users aged between 12 and 17, around 200,000 children, experienced serious online sexual exploitation or abuse within a year.

Reported incidents included blackmail, coercion to share sexual images and the non-consensual distribution of intimate content, often originating from seemingly harmless online interactions.

The challenge extends well beyond children. Rapid internet growth has coincided with a rise in online gender-based violence.

A 2020 Plan International report found that more than 19 percent of women reduced or completely stopped using social media because of abuse.

Women in public life, journalists, activists and politicians, are frequently subjected to targeted and sustained attacks designed to intimidate and silence rather than engage in debate.

At the national level, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) noted in its 2023 report a rise in digital harassment cases, disproportionately affecting politically active women.

A 2024 digital rights assessment further found that 53 percent of recorded incidents were regressive, involving online attacks, intimidation, surveillance and arbitrary content takedowns.

Sociologists caution that online harassment cannot be understood in isolation from broader social realities.

Sociologist Alfani Mduge of Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) said social media has become an extension of society itself.

“Social media did not create these attitudes, but it has given them a louder, faster and often anonymous platform,” he said.

“Young people are navigating unemployment, economic pressure and intense competition for recognition. For some, harassing others online becomes a way of asserting power, gaining peer approval, or even generating income through extortion and blackmail,” he added.

Another sociologist, Ms Linah Kabula, added that peer pressure and the pursuit of online relevance have normalised abusive behaviour.

“Viral content and online clout often reward aggression. In politically sensitive periods, harassment can be organised and strategic. In other cases, it is deeply personal, driven by jealousy, rejection, or revenge. What is worrying is how quickly such behaviour is becoming normal,” she said.

Psychologists warn that online harassment can be as damaging as physical abuse, if not more so, because it is constant and inescapable.

A psychologist and Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Tabora, Fr Leons Maziku, said victims experience prolonged psychological distress.

“Unlike traditional bullying, online harassment follows the victim everywhere, into their homes, bedrooms and private moments,” he said, adding.

“We are seeing rising cases of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and trauma, particularly among children and adolescents. Some withdraw socially, others struggle academically and in extreme cases, victims develop suicidal thoughts.”

He also notes a growing loss of empathy in digital interactions, “People forget there is a human being on the other side, with dignity and a future.”

Dr Isaac Lema of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) said women face distinct and heavier burdens online.

“Online abuse often attacks a woman’s sexuality, reputation and moral standing. In our society, this carries severe social consequences. Many victims are blamed or shamed, which pushes them into silence and results in long-term emotional harm.”

Technology experts warn that misuse of digital tools is becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expert and Sartify chief executive Michael Mollel said emerging technologies are creating new risks.

“We are now seeing artificial intelligence used to create deepfakes, manipulate images and automate harassment at scale. This makes detection and accountability more difficult, especially when perpetrators hide behind anonymity or operate across borders,” he said.

Legal experts acknowledge progress in legislation but highlight persistent enforcement gaps.

Legal consultant Paschal Livinus said fear, stigma and limited trust in institutions continue to discourage reporting.

“There is also low public awareness of what constitutes a digital offence and how online evidence should be preserved,” he said.

International data underscores the seriousness of the challenge. Between 2017 and 2019, the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 20,000 CyberTip reports linked to Tanzania, mostly relating to suspected child sexual abuse material.

In response, the government has stepped up efforts to improve online safety.

The Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima, has led initiatives aimed at protecting children, women and other vulnerable groups in digital spaces.

“The government is fully committed to ensuring that the digital space is safe for everyone, particularly children and women. We are strengthening policies, laws and technological safeguards to prevent abuse, exploitation and harassment online, while promoting responsible and ethical use of digital platforms,” she told The Citizen.

Child protection has been central to these efforts. In 2024, Dr Gwajima proposed a national dialogue on child-safe SIM cards designed to block harmful content at the service level.

These initiatives complement broader measures, including the National Cybersecurity Strategy (2022–2027), stricter SIM card registration and enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act, which provides penalties for data breaches that facilitate harassment.

She has warned parents and content creators against featuring children online without authorisation or in exploitative ways, while cautioning children against sharing private images that are frequently used for blackmail or humiliation.

Public campaigns promoting safe online behaviour have since been intensified in schools and communities.

Efforts to address online gender-based violence have also expanded, “The ministry has supported digital literacy and cybersecurity training for women leaders, particularly during election periods.”

As Tanzania’s digital footprint continues to grow, experts stress that protecting users from harm will require coordinated action from government, technology companies, communities and individuals alike to ensure that online spaces remain places of opportunity rather than fear.