Saturday tragedy bares good, ugly faces of social media

Dar es Salaam. Saturday’s accident that killed 33 St Lucky Vincent English Medium School pupils, two teachers and a driver has exposed both; the positive and negative side of social media in the society and that apart from its usefulness in information, they could be destructive to the society.

Social media played a positive role by sharing out informtion on the accident that occurred in the morning after a minibus travelling from Arusha to Karatu veered off the road before plunging into a river.

News spread like bush fire in dry weather and within few hours, the whole nation was mourning the loss of several dozen souls that the country has lost in a tragedy of its kind in recent history.

Tanzanians through the social media sent condolences in recorded speeches, lighting candles and posting bouquets as to expressing sympathy to friends, families and relatives who lost their loved ones. Also, the media gave updates of what was happening at the scene of the crash, the hospital and other places.

Meanwhile, experts yesterday asked the government to amend the Cybercrime Act of 2015 that prohibits people from distributing images and video clips of deceased persons in social media, saying the law had no powers to convict people sharing insensitive images.

A renowned lawyer in the city, Mr Zaharani Sinare, told The Citizen that though social media had simplified conveyance of information around the world, distributing images and videos showing bodies of the deceased was morally wrong.

“When properly used, social media is a good tool of communication but when it is wrongly used, it can be very disastrous. Authorities should amend the Cybercrime Act of 2015 to accommodate new demands to prohibit those who distribute images of the dead as could cause serious damage in the society including death,” he said.

Mr Benedict Ishabakaki was supportive in that the law wanted people posting images on social media possibly to cause disruption and depression to others be taken accountable, saying the law had failed to give interpretations.

“The Cybercrime Act 2015 should be amended to prohibit people from taking pictures of the deceased especially following tragedies like accidents and distribute through social media. The law should establish penalties that would discourage the practice,” he said in a telephone interview.

According to him, the Cybercrime Act 2015 has no powers to convict people charged with such offence because under normal circumstances images could be depressive and disruptive to one person and attractive to another.

Mr ishabakaki said people have joined groups in social media saying the growing trend comes at a time Tanzanians are competing to become the first in breaking news through images and videos.

The Coalition of Women and Constitution Tanzania chairperson, Prof Ruth Meena, said the community should stand up and say NO to unethical and immoral behaviour that is becoming common in the country.

“People are no longer providing assistance to victims of accidents, they are busy at taking images and videos to share in social media. They don’t think of how relatives, family members and friends will feel after receiving news of death of their beloved ones through social media,” she said.

She called upon the media to strengthen investigative reporting instead of sensational events that depend on incidents help the country find solution to various social and economic problems.