By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, May 31, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Director General Daud Suleman has challenged the country's social influencers to be aware of the concept of changing times, digital developments and new laws governing their activities, if they are to maintain relevance.

MACRA in collaboration with Malawi Computer Emergency Response Team (mwCERT), on Thursday organized a day long "Get Safe Online" Ambassadors Training workshop in Salima for social media influencers and content creators on how to protect themselves while on social media platforms.

Suleman said creators should create content which was relevant, truthful and of impact to their market while at the same time creating a media space that the citizens have trust and confidence in.

"Time is changing, gone are the days when consumers had no knowledge of their rights, in this day and age there is a variety of content therefore if a social media influencer does not match with changing times they cannot stay relevant," he said.

The Director General expressed optimism that the country was heading in the right direction in terms of technological advancements such as infrastructure.

He was quick to mention that as a regulator they are working towards monetizing digital content to grow the country's digital economy.

"There are just a few things we are getting wrong, if we get those few things right then we will be able convince the big tech to pay us for our content," Suleman said.

He said although the country was disadvantaged by not being monetized yet, that should provide a strategic position for creators to build a strong foundation, growing their market while at the same time creating a media space that the citizens have trust and confidence in.

The Director General added that, "If you ask any social media influencer, the dream is to one day make big money through content monetization and this is possible. Unfortunately, this is an animal that has been so elusive within the local content creation equation as currently, Malawi is not among monetized countries."

One of the participants, singer and song writer, Shafie Phiri, professionally known as Driemo said the workshop was relevant and insightful because it assisted him to understand the 2016 Electric Transactions and Cyber Security Act and how he could apply it to safeguard himself online.

He decried how it has become a norm for some followers to bully social influencers online, and he therefore called for enforcement of the law.

"While we are not getting paid for our content online we are building strong foundations that will assist us to leverage on the future benefits we will be accruing from the internet, we appeal to MACRA to enhance on its collaboration with the police to protect artists," Phiri said.

He said its high time that artists started to benefit financially from their talent online, he therefore urged MACRA to fast tract all the necessary requirements for them to start benefiting from digital content.

Notable names present at the workshop included, musician Kell Kay, Charisma, Temwa and social media influencers, Ida Chabuka, Dorothy Shonga and media personality, Priscilla Kayira.