Fake news is not freedom, it is crime

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Internet is a beautiful thing until it is hijacked by faceless troublemakers spreading baseless information.

Every scroll through social media these days feels like flipping through a book titled “Fiction Posing as Facts.”

Unfortunately, this comedy of errors is not funny anymore. It has becoming dangerous.

We’ve observed a disturbing rise in unregistered and unauthorised digital platforms, mushrooming like roadside chips stands, but with none of the legal hygiene.

These online spaces are not only illegal but also poisonous, spewing fake news, inciting panic and threatening our national peace.

And while freedom of speech is a constitutional right, let us be honest, it does not include the freedom to cause chaos, confusion and national migraines. It is high time the Police Force put their digital boots on and stormed these unruly online streets.

We are not asking for memes to be arrested, but those behind the calculated, malicious spread of lies disguised as “breaking news” must be held accountable.

These are not just innocent posts; they are loaded with potential to divide, incite and destabilise.

If unchecked, tomorrow’s riots might start with today’s retweets. To our beloved Police Force: Don’t get too cozy with these online fabricators.

Friendliness is great, but not with those aiming to set the country on digital fire. Cyber-chaos is still chaos. Laws are not decorations-they are shields. Use them.

And while the Police are tightening the grip, let us not let Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) just watch.

This is your turf. TCRA was established to keep the communication space clean, safe and constructive.

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The rise of ghost platforms running wild and unregulated is not just a breach, it is a scream for enforcement.

Dear TCRA, mercilessly corner these people and enforce them to realise that this country is governed by law.

Mobilise campaigns. Knock on the doors of young creators and remind them: Register your platform or risk a digital shutdown. We are not saying creativity should be punished.

On the contrary, let us nurture youth-led digital platforms that promote development, innovation and peace. But let us draw the line at chaos.

To our youth: If your platform is not registered, it is illegal and no number of likes will change that. Register it.

Use it wisely. Build, don’t break. Inform, don’t mislead. Social media should be a tool, not a ticking time bomb.

In conclusion, order must not surrender to digital disorder.

Our nation’s peace is not up for grabs and not in the streets and certainly not online. So, to the Police: Patrol the platforms.

To TCRA: Regulate with purpose. To content creators: Post responsibly or prepare for the consequences.

The Internet should be a garden of ideas and not a battlefield of lies.