Register Your WhatsApp Group or Risk Being Arrested

Like seriously, is this really happening in Africa? Just few days ago, we read here that Uganda has passed into law imposing a tax of 200 shillings (N20) on users of social media.

In other news, WhatsApp group administrators in Zambia will now be required to register the groups and set up codes of ethics or risk being arrested if there is a breach.

whatsapp admin

The new rule was announced by Zambia Information and Communications Technology (ZICTA) boss Mofyta Chisala on Thursday, in a move widely perceived by many as efforts by the Zambian government to control free speech.

In his words,

We are coming up with a law where now every administrator must be registered so that he can put ethics or codes of conduct for anyone who is going to be on that blog because at the end of the day, we are going to arrest that person who created the WhatsApp group or the editor or co-odinator of the blog and that should not be the end game.

Why Should WhatsApp Admin be Arrested Instead of The Member Who Posted The message

If you are an admin of a group, you are the ‘intermediary’ who created the platform (the group). You should be able to regulate what is posted in your group.

WhatsApp next update should be able to give Admin privileges from restricting members from posting in a group.

Can They Really Enforce This Law?

First of all, Zambia is not technologically advanced enough to track the person who generates the questionable message.

So if you are planning to open your own WhatsApp group, you have to think twice otherwise you’ll be held responsible for member’s offensive posts.

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25 thoughts on “Register Your WhatsApp Group or Risk Being Arrested”

  1. Africa my Africa, this is not funny at all. What these countries are pushing restricting people’s right by the day. I hope our Government won’t adopt such a law because it’s going to face stiff resistance from the Nigerian populace

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  2. At a time when freedom of expression is needed most, African countries are looking for ways to restrict it… I’m just tired of all this nonsense

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