Internet kiosk in Outjo, Namibia. Photo: MISA Regional Secretariat images, 2014. I n 2013, there were many events and developments in southern Africa and around the world, which highlighted the importance of and need for privacy and safety online. perts, organisations and individuals have expressed concerns about State intrusion into their lives. The justification from the State is that this form of registration is a basic national security necessity. Internationally, Germany and Brazil’s introduction of a draft resolution on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age in the UN General Assembly marked a key development in the fight for recognition of privacy rights. Unfortunately, the ‘national security’ argument is increasingly being pushed by various countries in the region as a justification for limiting freedom of expression and media freedom. South Africa, for example, also has legislation requiring mobile subscribers to register their SIM cards and their law also allows for the interception of communications in the country. Across the continent, activists, civil society, media and private citizens are asking how the Internet environment can be cultivated to best meet Africa’s social and economic development needs and goals and MISA is collaborating with other concerned civil society organisations to draft the African Declaration for Internet Rights and Freedoms. The declaration will define principles, which will serve as the basis for the Internet in Africa. A key development demonstrating how governments are tightening their control on communications infrastructure in southern Africa occurred in Zimbabwe in October 2013. The Zimbabwe government introduced a law requiring citizens to register their mobile telephone SIM cards. All mobile phone subscribers are required to register their SIM cards or risk a jail term of up to six months. At registration, the law requires the service provider to obtain all identifying information about a user, including name, address and national identity or passport number. There are greater repercussions to this and various ex- 34 The use of legislation to promote ‘national security’ is a key concern because rights such as privacy have not yet been entrenched in the minds and actions of many citizens and yet citizens across the continent are using various technological services (email, social networking, banking etc.) every day, without adequate safeguards. From the side of the user, some of the risk factors MISA wants to address include: • lack of knowledge by users about how their privacy may be breached; • lack of understanding by users about the resources and tools that are available to help them protect themselves online; and • the convenience of online services can mean issues