Questions for http://twitter.com/#!/TheTZMediaFund - online today from Mlimani City

Check http://twitter.com/#!/TheTZMediaFund - online today from Mlimani City in Dar es Salaam.

There'll be a panel discussion on 'Media & Accountability' at the #mediaforum. Panelists include @jmakamba @zittokabwe

Questions are encouraged: (I'm on my way to a meeting, so a few VERY quick questions from Denmark):

1) Social media is used vibrantly in Tanzania (still among a smaller group), technology seems to be dealt with easily, everyone can start a blog, Facebook and tweet.

But what about some more focus on content, quality and ethics?

• I've myself experienced one incident of mob justice in cyberspace in March 2008, but do also currently note odd behaviour on i.e. Facebook - people tagging other people on photos of dead (?) or injured people; or people copy pasting (stealing) - I even experienced myself people stealing photo and text from my blog and putting it in the newspaper.
• Another challenge is when people pass on 'stuff you heard' as news, without confirming. I.e. #bombsindar. In fact, Twitter plays a more important role in Tanzania (than i.e. Denmark) in regard of instant news, which means that people end up relying on (and trusting) it for direct information. But to what extent can we count on it, and how do we improve?

2) I'd also like to hear what the panel thinks about the Deputy Minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu's comments here:

Minister about the Tanzanians' use of mobile phones: 'most of the conversations and messages were on sexual relationships'. The deputy minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu, said recently (according to The Citizen):

'Tanzanians spent a total of Sh2 billion for talking through mobile phones in 2010. However, it is amazing that most of the conversations and messages were on sexual relationships, the deputy minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu, said recently.'

and

'Unlike our colleagues from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda who have been using blogs and their mobile phones to learn basic things like the state of markets for different products, we have spent much time making non-profit contacts; many Tanzanians’ blogs are full of gossip,” said Mr Nyalandu.'

3) Majority of social media users in Tanzania appear to be male - what to do to even that out - to get some more women on board?