The Zimbabwean government plans to compel internet service providers (IPS) to install equipment worth billions of dollars to enable the state to snoop on online communication, according to a proposed new law. Under the Interception of Communications Bill, the state will be empowered to monitor and intercept internet communications between citizens. ISPs will be required to buy and install software that will enable the interception of information by state security agents. But the Harare authorities who are battling a severe six-year old economic crisis, are said to be too broke to fund the huge operation.
Section Three of the controversial Bill says that internet service providers should have facilities to re-route user information to the monitoring centre that will be monitored by state agents. "A telecommunication service provider is required to install hardware and software facilities and devices to enable interception of communications," reads part of the Bill.
Internet service providers who spoke to ZimOnline yesterday criticised the proposals saying they had no capacity to raise the required funds to buy the equipment and software. The service providers said the interception equipment alone without the software, costs in excess of five million rand (about Z$180 billion).
"If this Bill is enacted into law in its current state, most of the ISPs will be out of business because we cannot afford to buy the equipment," said an internet service provider who refused to be named for fear of victimisation. |