Authorities restricted access to the internet and monitored websites and internet traffic. According to the country’s statutes, online material deemed “offensive, morally improper” or that “causes annoyance” is prohibited, and those charged with violating the regulations face a substantial monetary fine or a minimum sentence of 12 months in prison. The law criminalises the publication of false information, defined as “information, data, or facts presented in a picture, texts, symbol, or any other form in a computer system where such information, data, or fact is false, deceptive, misleading, or inaccurate.” MEDIA PLURALISM AND DIVERSITY As of March 2020 Tanzania had 183 radio stations, 43 TV stations, 229 newspapers and magazines in mainland Tanzania and 22 blogs and online news sites. Internet penetration has grown to 37.60 percent in the country further diversifying information sources in the country.(6) According to the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, private mass media in Tanzania proliferated rapidly in the early 1990s with the liberalisation of press freedoms, to the extent that mainland Tanzania now offers a wide variety of public and private publications and radio stations. This in turn gave rise to alternative voices and growth in divergent views. Television is still relatively under-developed in Tanzania, with the state television dominant throughout the country. In contrast, liberal press laws that were enshrined in the 2001 Media Bill on the mainland do not apply to press freedom in Zanzibar, and as a consequence there is no private media produced locally in Zanzibar. However, Zanzibar receives several daily and weekly publications produced on mainland Tanzania. Media in Zanzibar is, therefore, heavily dominated by the state. In terms of media access, radio is the most influential news medium, due to its relative affordability and wide coverage. Television coverage tends to be restricted to urban areas and those rural areas that have a regular supply of electricity. The media publishes content in Swahili and English. INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY The cost of accessing the internet is quite high in Tanzania. However, the past few years have seen a reduction in the price of data. The high cost of data has resulted in the overdependence on legacy media instead of new alternative platforms. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan 59