In October 2023, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority mandated VPN users to register, alarming LGBTQ+ people in the country who rely on VPNs for privacy amid restrictive laws.

Sabel*, a gay man living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, uses pseudonyms to engage with other LGBTQ people online. Despite feeling somewhat anonymous, the fear of being arrested is ever-present.

ZANZIBAR — As Tanzania’s government continues its LGBTQI+ crackdown campaign, sexual and gender minorities devise new survival strategies to avoid arrest and discrimination.