Lesotho has proposed a bill where social media users will need a license to post online.
Controlling social media has become an actual job and how could it not be a hard job when millions of people from all over the world are posting online. Lesotho government is trying to regulate and curb online behaviour with a new bill that will force social media users to get an internet broadcasting allowance.
The idea is that if you have more than 100 followers and you regularly post images with text you will be obliged to get a license. The Lesotho Communications Authority recently made the announcement and asked citizens and industry stakeholders to comment on the proposal.
Not too long ago Tanzania enforced new laws in an attempt to regulate free speech online, the bill was passed after it was noted that there was a lot of misinformation from bloggers and other media personalities. However, generally the country has regulated social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook according to the institute.
The spread of fake news has increased over the years and has become a major problem all over the world. However, even as countries like Tanzania are trying to regulate the kind of information that is shared such governments and their leaders have been accused of propaganda and even stifling independent media in the country.
If this happens to pass it would mean that the government will have actual power as to what people post but therein lies the problem, a lot of of information will also be sieved and held back from the public which is not a good move.
