Zimbabwe to Block & Censor E-mail, Identify Users

securitas writes "The BBC's Patrick Jackson reports that Zimbabwe's government plans to require ISPs to 'divulge details of e-mails deemed offensive or dangerous' and to provide 'government officials user details relating to material featuring anything from obscenity to "anti-national activities".' Last year Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe said that IT and communications technologies like the Internet were used 'by a few countries in the selfish interests of those countries which are in quest of global dominance and hegemony.' There is some confusion about the proposed provisions and if they mean that ISPs will be legally required to monitor e-mail or simply assist in government and criminal investigations, as many other countries require."

I'm surprised...

[Bob Cat - NYMPHS]

that a genocidal maniac would try to stop the free passage of information!

C'mon, censored Internet usage is the LEAST of the troubles in Zimbabwe. How about famine? Wholesale murder of the farmers? Hmm?

No great loss

[whoda]

Slavery is alive and well in Zimbabwe, what's a little censorship?

Hm.

[caramelcarrot]

My cousin's new husband is currently wanted by the Zimbabwe government for being involved with the student unions there. He's currently just completing a law degree in south africa, and Mugabe and his merry lot only really pose a threat to him if he tries to return to Zimbabwe, as he discovered when he tried to visit his family there and only escape with a few minutes as some government thug payed one of his regular visits to relatives. He's even met Mugabe's nephew, or similar, not a very nice chap apparently.

On the actual topic, though, I'm presuming this will apply to ISPs inside zimbabwe, and if so, are they going to block ISPs in South afica or other nearby countries?