By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
THE Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) has reaffirmed its constitutional mandate to protect children and uphold national values in digital broadcasting following widespread public outrage over viral explicit content circulating on social media platforms.
In a press statement dated February 03 2026, the Authority expressed concern over the dissemination of explicit digital material by some social media content creators, warning that such content is increasingly accessible to audiences within Zimbabwe, including children.
The statement comes amid a storm of online criticism directed at social media personality Queen Nadia TV, whose controversial “view once” videos went viral on Facebook, drawing massive engagement and pushing her following to more than 2.5 million followers within hours.
Parents and social media users have condemned the content as inappropriate, with many calling for immediate regulatory action.
“This is unacceptable. Our children are exposed to this kind of material every day,” one parent wrote in a post.
Another concerned user commented, went on to tag the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera on some of the Posts.
In its statement, BAZ said all broadcasting and digital content consumed within Zimbabwe is subject to the country’s legal and constitutional framework, regardless of the platform used to distribute it.
The Authority cited Section 61 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, but stressed that such freedom must be exercised responsibly and with due regard to the rights of others, as outlined under Section 86.
BAZ further highlighted provisions under the Broadcasting Services Act and the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act, which prohibit the dissemination of indecent or obscene material that may harm public morals or negatively affect children’s psychological development.
However, some social media users questioned why action appears to be coming only now, arguing that explicit content has been circulating for years without consequence.
“This has been happening for a long time, we saw similar content from Natasha Nyemba before, but it was ignored. People tolerated it until it became too loud to overlook,” one commenter said.
Others echoed the sentiment, suggesting selective enforcement and calling for consistent regulation across all platforms and creators.
Meanwhile, another section of the public placed responsibility on parents, arguing that children should not have unrestricted access to social media in the first place.
“Parents must stop blaming everyone else,” one adult user posted. “Why are children on Facebook unsupervised? Social media is not a playground.”
Another added, “These platforms have age limits. Adults need to take responsibility for what their kids are consuming online.”
BAZ concluded by warning that it “will not permit the misuse of digital platforms” in ways that violate the Constitution, national laws, or collective moral standards, adding that enforcement measures will be taken to safeguard the public interest.
The Authority reminded broadcasters and content creators of their ethical obligation to ensure material shared online complies with Zimbabwean laws and respects the dignity and rights of all citizens, especially children.