MACRA drills journalists in cyber-security

Malawi: The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) held a cyber security media training workshop in Mzuzu on Friday.

Christopher Banda, Daudi Suleman's representative, stated on behalf of the director general that there is a need for mobile fraud awareness and education not only in Malawi but throughout Africa.

Macra's Deputy Director of Legal Consumer Affairs, Kelious Mlenga, stated that they involved the media in this because they play a critical role in disseminating information.

One of the regulatory roles it plays is in creating offenses and penalties for people who abuse the online freedom that is protected by the Act (section 4).

One of the penalties is imprisonment under IHL or monetary fines.

"For example, when one uses unauthorized access and interception of data, the person is fined $2 million and sentenced to 5 years in prison," he explained.

"The same applies to cyber harassment, threatening harm or injury to a person or property."

Mlenga also emphasized that sharing nudity on social media is a serious offense that can result in a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison.

Mr.Gladson Kubwalo, a police cyber security expert, stated that universities should offer more courses on these topics.

He also warned Malawians not to get excited when they receive calls from unknown people claiming to have won money or other items, but instead to report it to the police or Macra.

"One in his right mind can see that I didn't enter any competition at all, so how come the calls to win these," he explained.

We usually come across these because there are few experts, a poor reporting system, and it takes a long time to get a response from Facebook about people who own zigoba (fake accounts), he added.

To reduce cyberbullying, they use legal frameworks such as penal codes, enact more laws, and also use the Electronic Transaction and Cyber Act (2016)