STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA 4.2.3 Freedom of Expression Online - Cyber Space Freedom of expression online continued raising concerns in the last quarter of 2018. An issue which was of particular concern was the content being shared on social media. It was observed from the reports published that the public is also abusing social media. However, it was also observed that the online space has attracted increased monitoring by government. For instance, on 16th October, the online news platform Mwebantu22 reported that Zambia was among the 45 countries using spyware software from Israel in order to monitor some citizens‟ internet and phone usage. Internet and phone usage continued being monitored by government. PEGASUS spyware which is often used against the opposition, journalists and human rights activists has been found in Zambia. Pegasus is a notorious spyware program sold only to governments. The malware, known as Pegasus, was created by Israeli cyber-security firm NSO and has been around for at least three years, when it was first detailed in a report over the summer of 2016. In a report titled „Hide and Seek‟ which was released on Monday, Citizen Lab — a Canada based internet watchdog — identified 45 countries in which infected devices have been traced, after scanning the internet for servers associated with Pegasus spyware. Two instances of abuse and violation of the freedom of expression online were recorded in the period under review. On 14th February, The Daily Nation23 reported that clinical officer was suspended for posting a picture on Facebook of patients who were attending ART session. The clinical officer, who photographed and circulated pictures of people living with HIV attending Anti Retro Viral Treatment (ART) session on his Facebook 22 Mwebantu – Zambian phones targeted by Israeli made notorious spyware program that is sold only to governments – 16th October, 2018 23 Daily Nation – Clinical Officer Suspended over Facebook Post – 14th November, 2018 16