Online publications: The problem of faceless authors

Zimbabwean media could be described as fairly regulated given that the existing laws while ensuring access to information to the media also protect society.

The press is free to report on factual matters that are in the public interest while the generality is also protected from unwarranted intrusions into their private lives.

Our laws provide rigorous checks against libel and editors duly take care to avoid sensationalist headlines that might not necessarily be true.

Contrary to Western assertions that media freedoms are somehow stifled in Zimbabwe, we have a healthy and diverse media platform. In addition to the public media, private media houses publish freely.

On any one morning you will find, The Daily News, NewsDay, The Financial Gazette, The Standard, The Independent and other regional papers pregnant with anti-government headlines. These publications operate freely in Zimbabwe.

The Government has also extended an open Internet policy. Authorities have chosen not to regulate the Internet.

This is to be applauded in many ways as it allows individuals to express themselves and encourages creative thinking among our young people.

However, this generosity is fast being abused so it is necessary for Zimbabwe to now introduce a robust regulatory framework to oversee the use of the Internet.

The challenge we face is mainly one of malicious forces hiding behind anonymity afforded by the Internet.

Newspaper articles usually have bylines so readers can tell who wrote the particular article. Contrast this with online newspapers and blogs that are often written incognito. Not only so, these faceless authors are often based abroad, hosted and encouraged even by unfriendly governments like the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

Even in the event that legitimate charges were brought against these individuals it is highly unlikely these countries would co-operate and extradite them. One needs not be reminded about criminals that fled to these countries after committing crimes.

The problem of faceless authors is not confined to online newspapers; it extends to blogs, social networks and even email.

An example would be the recent complaints by local musician Wilbrod Muponda (popularly known as Willom Tight) over an impersonator who has created a fake Facebook profile using the artiste's stage name.
Under the present scenario Tight cannot seek redress at the courts.

A few months ago local businessman Phillip Chiyangwa had to publicly distance his family from a girl on Facebook who claimed to be his daughter and indulged in the most shameful obscenities.

Desmond Chideme, a local musician commonly known as "Stunner", was recently embarrassed when a former lover posted explicit pictures of him on the Internet.

These malicious actions by often anonymous persons on the Internet often hurt innocent individuals who unfortunately cannot seek redress in the courts by suing for defamation.

Governments therefore have a challenge to find ways of punishing individuals that abuse the Internet to hurt others. What is disturbing in the case of Zimbabwe is that some of the activities on the Internet have a sinister political undertone.

There are foreign-funded online newspapers and blogs that are not accountable to Zimbabwean authorities but whose content streams daily into Zimbabwean cyberspace.

Two years ago Simba Makoni was moved to the point of issuing a press statement when a publication notorious for peddling falsehoods claimed he was holding clandestine negotiations with Zanu-PF.

Edmund Kudzayi, the editor of the African Aristocrat news website does not reside in Zimbabwe nor abide by Zimbabwean press regulations. There is no good reason why the Zimbabwean authorities should not move to block access to this and other unscrupulous websites.

Other media outlets like SW Radio Africa deliberately flout Zimbabwean regulations and brazenly attempt to broadcast without a licence.

Lance Guma and Violet Gonda are Zimbabwean citizens based abroad but are working for a radio station broadcasting to Zimbabwe.

Not only so, former white farmers and the British government whose sole ambition in Zimbabwe is to overthrow a lawfully elected government, fund their operations.

Although the Government has technology to block their radio signals their website remains fully accessible in Zimbabwe.The website recently leaked what it alleges was a list of former Central Intelligence Operatives.

Julian Assange was branded a "terrorist" for publishing American state secrets via his Wikileaks website but it is somehow acceptable for SW Radio

Africa to publish Zimbabwean state secrets from the comforts of London. The double standards stink.

The list could go on to include New Zimbabwe, Nehanda Radio, The Zimbabwe Mail, ZimEye, Zimbabwe Metro, and a dozen other obscure online outlets that seem determined to undermine the legitimate Government of Zimbabwe.

It is unfortunate that Zimbabweans are engaging in acts of sabotage, acts that indeed border on treason.

The Internet has become an information hub that people have come to rely on. When foreign nationals search the Internet for information on

Zimbabwe they find the shameless lies peddled by the country's own citizens.
Can they be blamed for choosing to take their holiday elsewhere? Surely there is a case for regulation.

The problem is not confined to politics. Consider the issue of pornography.

As it is, people can simply stream pornographic content onto their computers in gross violation of Zimbabwean laws. Worse still is the fact that these materials are now available to children. The State is powerless to act.

All this buttresses the point that there is definitely need for some kind of regulatory framework to manage Internet usage in Zimbabwe. We certainly want to preserve the freedom of expression and work must be done to ensure that regulation does not stifle these sacrosanct liberties.

However, we must have accountability. People are free to level any allegation on anyone but they must have the courage to come in the open and defend themselves when called upon to do so. The debate is not on whether or not there should be regulation but what kind of shape this regulatory animal should take.

In addition to having an effective regulatory system we must also enhance our enforcement mechanisms. The security services must have the ability to filter content. As a nation we cannot sit idly by while imperialist forces work day and night to reverse the gains of the past 32 years. We may not be in a physical war but over the past decade we have witnessed the devastating effects of the information war that has been waged against this country.