By Derick Tsimba

During submissions to the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security Portfolio Committee on ICT, Postal and Courier Services and Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services said the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill yesterday; Kwekwe residents proposed that the Bill should be able to protect the rights of women and children on social media.

In her submission, a local school teacher Susan Masvinire said the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill should have strict control of the social media to protect women and children.

“Government should be in control of the situation on social media and have strict control over issues of women and young children.

“We as teachers are in full support of the Bill in line with cultural values that must be preserved. Nude pictures are being posted on WhatsApp and this is harmful to children and yet children are being encouraged to use the internet,” she said.

Masvinire added that children lack protection from the internet which has significantly contributed negatively to their psychological wellbeing, as they are constantly being exposed to explicit and xenophobic material without restriction. Some of these children are being exposed to criminal activities through tutorials on the internet and this has become difficult to control in schools due to unrestricted access to the internet. 

A health worker in her submission complained that fake messages on social media are now discrediting and offending, as a health worker you are told doctors are not at work whilst they are there at work, people who send such messages should be arrested.

The Harare Post can report that the public was of the opinion that the Bill should be used to arrest those who call for acts of violence and distruction of all infrastructure and private property using social media by ensuring social media evidence can be used in the courts of law.