By XAVIER MANCHISHI –

THE Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has implored the media to sensitise the public on the responsible use of Information and communication Technology (ICT).

ZICTA support services director Mofya Chisala said the media must play its important role of sensitising the public on the responsible use of ICTs that have been established as the bedrock of development.

Speaking during a ZICTA media interaction in Mpika yesterday, Mr Chisala said the authority intends to engage the media in the execution of its mandate of regulating the ICT sector.”You have the power of the pen to let people know that if used responsibly, ICT is now the backbone of economic development,” he said.

Mr Chisala said ZICTA wanted society to be schooled on the pitfalls of the use of ICT which was why the authority was carrying consumer awareness programmes countrywide.

He said parents were particularly major stakeholders in the fight against abuse of social media by children who should instead be using ICT for academic benefit.

“For example Facebook says users have to be 18 years old but we know that even 13 year olds are on Facebook now.

We want parents to start monitoring what their children are doing on the internet,” he added.

Mr Chisala said ZICTA would also make sure that the three mobile service providers respect the assumed contract between them and the consumers by quality service delivery.

“We don’t offer products as ZICTA, we provide services. We are mandated to ensure service providers are delivering quality services to the consumer,” he said.

Speaking at the same interaction, ZICTA cyber security officer Nawa Samatebele said consumers of ICT services have to be wary of cyber crime that has become sophisticated.

Mr Samatebele said cyber crime was becoming sophisticated with people losing money through bank accounts being hacked while others are duped that they had won a lottery.