SECTOR 2 2.11 The country has a coherent ICT policy and/or the government implements promotional measures, which aim to meet the information needs of all citizens, including marginalised communities. The 2003 Information Communications Technology (ICT) Policy of Tanzania encourages citizens to use the internet more to broaden their knowledge by gaining health and educational information, for example. Ironically, the Cybercrimes Act, and the other draconian anti-media freedom legislation mentioned earlier, does just the opposite by tightening the online space and criminalising just about everyone who uses the internet. “The Cybercrimes Act curtails freedom of expression. The entire Act is not bad, though – the provision about child pornography is important – but some of the other provisions have the effect of criminalising human rights.” Access to adult pornography, for example, is considered a basic human right, according to international standards, but the Cybercrimes Act criminalises this and lays down extremely harsh punishments for anyone found in possession of it. “There is no definition of pornography in this Act, however, and something that the government sees as pornography may be educational material.” Panellists noted that JamiiForums continues to exist, despite the intimidation its staff have faced, because the ICT environment has been very conducive to internet freedom of expression up until the Cybercrimes Act was passed. Jamii Forums is Tanzania’s number one most visited website and the most popular destination for Kiswahili speakers. “JamiiForums is unique in Africa in terms of the openness of the platform, and the site has a moderator to try to keep by validating claims.” In 2011, the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology established a technology hub called Buni, to “foster innovation and technology entrepreneurship through capacity building, mentoring programmes and community empowerment”. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Tanzania 2015 41