STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA media institutions. These include the Information and Communications Technology Act No. 15 of 2009 and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 21 of 2009. A similar warning for citizens was also made by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Hon. Dora Siliya on 22nd June43, who stated that government would not tolerate anyone using any social media platforms to insult the President or any citizen. She noted that while government recognises the fact that citizens have the right to use social media, it will not take kindly to any citizen abusing the cyberspace to infringe on another’s rights with impunity. This was said at a joint press briefing with Chairperson of the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians, Professor Nkandu Luo. The report as carried on the Ministry of Information Facebook Page stated: Prof. Luo called on the Human Rights Commission to unpack the issue of rights and start guiding the country on where everybody’s rights end. Professor Luo said the Commission should begin explaining the rights of people as each gender and age has their own rights that should be clearly understood. “In Zambia human rights have been abused as people now only think that freedom of expression is insulting each other on social media,” she observed. Professor Luo said the country was a better place for its citizens before the introduction of social media which she said has brought more harm than good. “It is strange that young people have found it easy and fashionable to insult adults. This is shameful and only causes one to wonder what our country has come to,” she said. She said there was urgent need to bring the practice to a stop and revive a culture where women were respected regardless of their status in society. “How can young people hide behind a computer and insult women and other women are quiet? Where are women organizations? 43 As monitored on the Ministry of Information Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Ministry-ofInformation-and-Broadcasting-Services-Zambia-1410650242577418/ pg. 39