DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG people now dominate Tanzania’s digital public sphere, using social media to express opinions, frustrations and aspirations in an information environment that is evolving at remarkable speed.
From WhatsApp groups and X timelines to TikTok videos and Facebook pages, youth-driven content increasingly shapes national conversations, influences public opinion and amplifies political and social debates. This expanding digital space has undoubtedly widened opportunities for participation and expression.
At the same time, it has heightened exposure to misinformation, hate speech and polarising narratives, prompting growing concern about how online platforms are influencing social cohesion and national stability.
It is against this backdrop that Samwel Marwa, an assistant lecturer at the University of Dodoma and a mass communication specialist, has issued a pointed call to journalists and digital content creators to return to the ethical foundations of their profession.
He warns that careless reporting and irresponsible online behaviour risk undermining peace and national unity at a moment when public debate is increasingly charged.
In an era where a single post can ignite controversy or deepen existing divisions, Marwa argues that Tanzania’s information space has become both powerful and fragile, particularly because young people are its most active participants.
The speed with which information now moves; from social media platforms into mainstream newsrooms and back again means that narratives can shape emotions and opinions before facts are fully established.
Ethical journalism, he says, is no longer a professional ideal but a practical necessity for safeguarding social stability.
Speaking amid heightened public debate and strong, often conflicting views, Marwa stressed that both institutional media and individual communicators must recommit to journalism’s core principles.
Accuracy and verification, he said, remain non-negotiable.
“The first responsibility of any journalist is to ensure that information is correct,” he said, cautioning that speculation, rumours and unverified claims, especially when amplified online can trigger panic, confusion and unnecessary tension within communities.
Publishing information one is unsure about, he added, is not only unprofessional but potentially harmful to social order. Balance, Marwa noted, is equally central to ethical reporting.
Allegations involving government bodies, private organisations, civil society groups or religious institutions must be handled fairly, with all sides given a reasonable opportunity to respond.
This, he said, is the basis of professionalism and credibility in journalism.
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He also warned against the growing presence of hate speech across some media outlets and online platforms.
Content that incites hostility on the basis of religion, ethnicity, race or belief violates journalistic ethics and poses a direct threat to social cohesion.
Media organisations, he argued, carry a responsibility to protect society rather than inflame it, including careful consideration of language, headlines and framing.
“News should be presented neutrally, without bias, and with the aim of building understanding and unity,” Marwa said, expressing concern about sensational and one-sided reporting that escalates disputes rather than helping resolve them.
Social media, he acknowledged, is now an unavoidable component of the media ecosystem.
While it has democratised publishing by giving nearly everyone a platform, it has also blurred the line between professional journalism and casual content sharing.
Many users particularly young people circulate information without verifying it, sometimes out of ignorance and sometimes in disregard of existing laws, including the Electronic an Postal Communications Act and its regulations.
More troubling, Marwa observed, is the tendency of some mainstream outlets to amplify voices that have violated these laws, inadvertently lending legitimacy to misleading or harmful narratives.
Yet he was clear that social media itself is not the problem. Used responsibly, he said, digital platforms can educate, counter misinformation and clarify sensitive issues.
“The real challenge is that many citizens lack the skills to assess credibility or verify information before sharing it,” he said.
Beyond concerns about ethics and regulation, Marwa urged leaders and institutions to listen more carefully to the voices of young people online.
Digital platforms, he noted, have become spaces where youth articulate their grievances, expectations and lived realities. Ignoring these conversations leaves room for propaganda and distortion to flourish.
He encouraged young users to treat social media as a forum for constructive dialogue; one that allows for disagreement without hostility, promotes reconciliation and facilitates peaceful engagement with leaders.
“Sustainable solutions emerge when people are willing to talk respectfully, avoid hate speech and stop assigning blame,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by senior diplomat Omar Mjenga, who called on media editors to play a more assertive role in shaping national debates around peace, unity and the public interest, particularly during periods of intense disagreement.
Speaking at an editors’ seminar themed The Role of the Media in Safeguarding the Union, Mjenga urged editors not to retreat from their responsibility to defend truth and national cohesion.
“Do not lower your standards or retreat into fear,” he said, adding; “Be bold, but remember that unity is our pride. Every story must be weighed against its impact on the nation.”
He cautioned that national security can be destabilised if editorial judgement is not exercised carefully, urging journalists to understand when disclosure serves the public interest and when restraint is warranted.
Mjenga also raised concerns about some media practitioners collaborating with foreign counterparts without sufficient consideration of national interests and context.
Political analyst Hamiduni Maliseli added another dimension to the debate, warning against the mobilisation of young people particularly through social media, without adequate civic education and ideological grounding.
While youth participation in public affairs is both legitimate and necessary, he said, it must be guided by a clear understanding of democratic principles, political objectives and the consequences of collective action.
“When discipline and peaceful conduct are lost, the cost is borne by the entire nation,” Maliseli said, calling for stronger civic education to accompany political engagement.
From the perspective of young citizens themselves, the stakes are clear.
Rahma Athumani, a student at the University of Dar es Salaam, urged her peers to exercise self-reflection and responsible decisionmaking, describing the current moment as decisive for the country’s future.
Peace, she said, remains the foundation of national prosperity, warning that conflict and violence divert scarce resources away from development and social services.
Across these voices runs a shared conclusion: Tanzania’s digital information space cannot be ignored or wished away.
It must be navigated with care, responsibility and purpose. In an age where youth hold unprecedented communicative power, the challenge, for journalists, citizens and leaders alike, is to ensure that this power is used to inform rather than inflame, to connect rather than divide and to strengthen, rather than erode the peace on which national progress depends