WhatsApp Group Admin License: The government has implemented a new rule under which now all WhatsApp group admins will have to register and get a license to run their group. They will also have to pay money for this license.
WhatsApp Group: The Zimbabwe government has implemented a new rule under which now all WhatsApp group admins will have to register with the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and get a license to run their group. They will also have to pay money for this license. The license costs at least $50. This announcement was made by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services (ICTPCS) Tatenda Mawetera.
Why has the new WhatsApp rule been introduced?
This new WhatsApp rule has been made so that false news cannot be spread and there is peace in the country. This is according to the country’s Data Protection Act. Under this act, any information that can be used to identify a person directly or indirectly is personal information. WhatsApp group admins have the phone numbers of the members, so according to the government, they come under the purview of the Data Protection Act.
What the minister said
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said licensing would help track the sources of false information. It comes alongside rules on data protection, which affect organisations from churches to businesses.
What people say
Under this rule, now the WhatsApp group admin will have to take a license from the government to run their group. To get this license, the admin will have to give some of his personal information to the government and also pay a fee. The government says that this rule is necessary for the security of the country. But many people feel that this will reduce the freedom of people to talk and their privacy may also be in danger.
WhatsApp is also trying to fight fake news and is taking many steps for this. But, this new rule is raising a lot of questions. People feel that this rule is very tough and it can have a bad effect on people.
