Tuesday, 22 May 2018

What about Regulating YouTube Content?

Kenya has decided to copy the Tanzanian way of bullying and controlling the online space freedom. From the controversial Computer and Cyber Crimes Bill which criminalizes publishing “hate speech” and “fake news” both of which aren’t well-defined in our existing laws, now the Kenya Film and classification board has moved on to target YouTubers, or the so-called Vbloggers.


According to the new regulation, now you have to register and pay to own and run a YouTube channel!

1. Work under (register as) a filming agent--K.shs12,000pa
2. License for a documentary, short drama/feature/stills--K.Shs5,000
3. License for full length feature film (>40minutes)--K.Shs15,000
4. Per day filming fees--K.Shs1,000


So, one would ask themselves, why should they pay to run a vblog while probably YouTube isn’t paying them anything?


One would wonder, where does the mandate of Mr. Ezekiel Mutua start and end, because the internet space isn’t limited and if Mutua stopped enterprising Kenyan Vbloggers from making money online, he can’t stop the Nigerias from running theirs. Are these regulations not made to curtail the freedom of young Kenyans who have been making money by creating and sharing short firms via YouTube?




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