Zimbabwe wants email censors
p2pnet.net News:- Zimbabwe government plans to use ISPs to block “politically sensitive messages” are being opposed.
A proposed new contract says, “The provider shall ensure that objectionable, obscene, unauthorised or any other content, message or communications infringing copyright, intellectual property right and international and domestic cyber laws inconsistent with the laws of Zimbabwe are not carried in his network,” states South Africa’s Sunday Times here.
However, some Zimbabwean ISPs are refusing to sign the new contract, says a Voice of America story here, going on:
“An executive at one provider says the contract is illegal because the Zimbabwe Supreme Court ruled last year that reading people’s e-mails is illegal. The executive, who asked not to be identified, said the government has failed to monitor the e-mails itself and is now asking the Internet Service Providers to, ‘do their dirty work for them’.”
Last year police arrested 14 people accused of circulating a subversive e-mail calling for “violent demonstrations” to push Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe out of office, says the Times story.
June 2nd, 2004 at 11:35 pm
Quote> “A proposed new contract says, “The provider shall ensure that objectionable, obscene, unauthorised or any other content, message or communications infringing copyright, intellectual property right and international and domestic cyber laws inconsistent with the laws of (fill in the blank) are not carried in his network,”
Coming soon to a country near you… Perhaps yours?
June 3rd, 2004 at 12:16 am
This is indeed violation of privacy and service providers should not in any way accept such action of mail censoring.The question remains why is the government feeling so insecure with what people say. Is it not high time the rulers humble themselves and hear real things.What they do not want to hear is the truth. In Shona we say “Anyumwa bere ngerake” meaning those who are scared to hear the truth are guilty in a way.
I urge all the Internet Service providers to unite and say NO to such an order. If the government wants, it must do it on its own and not to throw the rope on someone else.
We must continue praying for Zimbabwe, things have really gone out of hand and the devil is really taking his throne.
Concerned citizen