Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has urged social media influencers to be responsible and be fully aware about the laws that are in the country when creating and distributing content on social media.
MACRA Director General Daudi Suleman made the statement during a two-day media workshop on Media Influencers in Lilongwe under the theme “Impact and Responsibilities”.
Speaking with reporters, Suleman said that it is very important that people that are creating and distributing content are fully aware about the rights that are there in the country so that as they create content they must do it knowing that they are within laws.
He also stressed on the need for media influencers to be creative enough that whenever they are posting something online it should be positively profiling Malawi considering that every content that is posted on digital platforms identify the profile of the country.
“The profile of the nation is built by Malawians as we put content about Malawi.
“Therefore, it is very important that we should take a fresh look about the profile that we are putting out there.
“The laws have been there since 2016 but very few people are aware that whatever you do online there is a law that is protecting both you the creator as well as other people. So we don’t want to be in a space where digital space has become lawless and ungovernable. We would like to create a safer and more secure digital space for everyone such as girls, women and those living in rural area,” he explained.
On his part, one of the Media Influencers, Tanna popularly known as Mr broken English commended MACRA for coming up with the initiative saying they have a lot of concerns that they want the communications reguratory authority want to address.
He said that there is a tendency where a lot people are posting anything on digital platforms claiming that they are media influencers but without following the laws of the country.
Skeffa Chimoto, Wendy Harawa, Mr Jokes, Wikise, Anjiru Fumulani , Robot Boii from South Africa, Felistus Nya Uyu Ngwira and Onjezani Kenani were among social media personalities who attended the workshop.
