THE government will embark on nationwide campaigns from next month to create awareness among members of the public over the Data Protection Bill that was recently tabled in the Parliament for the first reading.
The awareness campaigns are intended to sensitize the public so that they offer their opinions over the document before it is tabled for the second reading.
“We have decided to start the campaigns in October that is the Cyber Security Awareness Month,” said Engineer Steven Wangwe, the Deputy Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology.
He was representing the Permanent Secretary of the docket, Dr Jim Yonazi, at the second Youth Internet Governance Forum in Dar es Salaam. The forum was organized by the Internet Society Tanzania Chapter (ISOC-Tanzania).
Cyber Security Awareness Month is an important month dedicated to promoting internet safety. This year it will begin on Saturday, October 1, and end on Monday, October 31st.
The theme for this year’s Cyber Security Awareness Month is ‘It’s easy to stay safe online’, reminding internet users that there are plenty of simple ways to keep personal information and private data secure when browsing and using the internet.
“It is now time for public to go through the document and see how they could contribute their views. People should understand it and air their views. It’s right time to get a good law,” Eng Wangwe appealed.
He explained that the expected law would also open up opportunities for investments in the ICT sector.
“There were foreign investors who expressed interest to invest in the sector but absence of such law was a challenge,” he said.
He told the participants of the Tanzania Internet Governance Forum (TzIGF) that it was pertinent to have education on cyber space since most people find themselves in trouble due to ignorance on matter.
The ministry has a strategy to provide education on cyber security.
“With the envisaged new law we are going to protect personal data including bank account details, name, age, personality, and others that identify someone,” he said.
Commenting, Mr Nazar Kirama, president of ISOC- Tanzania, who doubles as a Coordinator for TzIGF, said the forum is aimed at building capacity among the youth for them to be able to participate in national, regional and global forums on internet management.
“We believe that youth have capacity to participate but they need capacity building,” he said.
Mr Kirama thanked the ministry for its cooperation and effective involvement in different forums for the sectors under its docket.
Ms Catheline Fungo, the TzIGF Chairperson said the forum gathered 50 participants pulled from different higher learning institutions.