Minister warns on abuse of internet, social media
2 min read
Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Minister of Information Communication Technology and Courier Services Kazembe Kazembe has encouraged Zimbabweans to use ICT facilities for innovation and economic development.
He said it was important for people to embrace technology to turn around their lives.
Minister Kazembe said it was sad that there were some people using ICT facilities, especially social media, to peddle falsehoods and sow seeds of dissent among the general citizens.
He was speaking during the commissioning of a community information centre in Beitbridge on Wednesday.
“Zimbabweans, I implore you to use technology responsibly to promote innovation and our economic growth,” said Minister Kazembe.
“Technology is beautiful, but it has its negative effects.
“It makes life easier, but can be abused. People are now abusing social media.
“It has become very dangerous. Let me advise you especially women because a lot of marriages and relationships are being destroyed due to the falsehoods coming through the social media
“There is a lot of photoshopping and negative falsehoods which are being peddled on social media”.
He said technology was evolving at a tremendous pace which calls for people to be extra-careful.
The minister said no country can develop without embracing new technology, though such innovations came with several headaches.
He said there is a new technology known as diptych which plays around with video content.
“Though such technology can be used to yield positive results, of late we have noted an increase in abuse of social media of this nature.
“What really has got into us as a people, we must be humane and focus on living in harmony.
“Let’s be very careful with what we see on social media. Not everything that we see on social media is true,” said Minister Kazembe.
Cabinet recently approved the principles of the Cyber Protection, Data Protection and Electronic Transaction Bill which seeks to enhance harmonisation of computer-related crime laws in the Criminal Law Act, to the SADC model law computer crime, cyber-crime and international best practices.
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