Will Rwanda Limit Social Media Freedoms?

The Government of Rwanda has indicated its intention to regulate social media content in an attempt to address misinformation. However, the announcement has prompted concern that the move could result in limitation to the use of social media platforms among Rwandan users. 

Last year the Government of Uganda introduced a tax for the use of platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Skype in the form of a daily levy. Meanwhile in Tanzania new regulations require bloggers to pay hefty registration fees.

The Government of Rwanda maintains that any regulation it may introduce will be targeted at protecting citizens and creating a safe space for interaction.

According to Minister for ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire stated, “there has to be free sharing of information, but at the same time it has to be information that is building the people, that is building a country, but not just really circulating misinformation, defamation."