Matevera denies claims on WhatsApp group administrators being required to have licences

The Information Communications Technology, Postal, and Courier Services Minister, Tatenda Mavetera, has distanced herself from a misleading LinkedIn post that claimed WhatsApp group administrators would be required to obtain government licenses.

In a subsequent post on X on Saturday, Mavetera labeled the viral LinkedIn post as “malicious fake news,” clarifying that this requirement only applies to entities that collect and process personally identifiable information (PII) for commercial or business use.

Mavetera emphasized that the claim of a $2,500 penalty for WhatsApp group administrators is false and not consistent with the legal provisions outlined in Statutory Instrument (SI) 155 of the 2024 Cyber and Data Protection (Licensing of Data Controllers and Appointment of Data Protection Officers) Regulations.

She reiterated that her LinkedIn post did not express any intentions to license or penalize WhatsApp groups or administrators of any social media platforms that do not collect and process PII for commercial or business purposes.

Mavetera assured the public of the government’s commitment, through the Ministry of Information Communication Technology Postal and Courier Services, to accelerate cyber and data democratization and security, ensuring that no one and no place is left offline.

This aligns with the ministry’s overarching mandate to promote access to information for all in a safe and secure environment.