State House cautions against fake news

DODOMA: THE State House has cautioned the public against creating and circulating fake information linking President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, warning that such conduct constitutes an offence under the law.

In a public notice issued yesterday, Directorate of Presidential Communications said there had been an increase in fake information presented as official statements and announcements about the President and circulated on social media as though it originated from the State House.

According to the statement, all official information concerning the President’s activities is issued through the State House’s authorised communication channels and urged the public to verify any information before accepting or sharing it.

The statement identified the official Instagram account as @ikulu_mawasiliano, the Facebook account as @ikulu.mawasiliano, while updates are also available through the official website, www.ikulu.go.tz.

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The State House urged members of the public to exercise caution when encountering statements attributed to the President, particularly on social media and to confirm their authenticity through official channels before circulating them.

It also reminded the public that creating and disseminating false information using the President’s name, image or State House identity is an offence under Sections 15 and 16 of the Online Content Regulations (Government Notice No. 443).