Zimbabwe
Africa
Age Verification Compliance Overview
This page provides comprehensive age verification and compliance information for Zimbabwe. Our research team continuously monitors regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and legal developments to ensure businesses have access to up-to-date compliance intelligence.
Zimbabwe maintains a "Heavily Regulated" approach to age-restricted content. This classification indicates strict compliance requirements including mandatory age verification, specific technical implementations, regular audits, and substantial penalties for non-compliance. Businesses operating in this jurisdiction must implement comprehensive age assurance systems and maintain detailed compliance records. Legal consultation is strongly recommended before entering this market.
The information below includes regulatory status, legal requirements, enforcement mechanisms, penalties for non-compliance, acceptable verification methods, and relevant regulatory authorities. This data is essential for platforms, content providers, and businesses that need to implement age-appropriate access controls or verify user ages.
Minimum Age
18+ years
Required age for platform access
Age Gate Required
Yes
Age verification is mandatory
Last Verified
10/12/2025
Most recent data update
Regulatory Timeline
Historical changes and upcoming regulatory events
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Government set to unveil new child online protection policy: The government is developing a comprehensive Child Online Safety Policy, expected to be finalised by the first quarter of the new year (2025).
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Deadline for DPO appointment: Deadline for all licensed data controllers to appoint a data protection officer (DPO).
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Cyber and Data Protection Regulations came into force: The Cyber and Data Protection (Licensing of Data Controllers and Appointment of Data Protection Officers) Regulations came into force, requiring registration of data controllers and processors and the appointment of a data protection officer.
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Age of sexual consent raised to 18 years: The Zimbabwe government officially raised the age of sexual consent from sixteen to eighteen years, harmonizing it with the constitutional definition of a child.
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Cabinet approved principles to Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill: Cabinet approved principles to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill that will criminalize sexual activity with anyone below the age of 18.
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Data Protection Act [Chapter 11:12] enacted: The Zimbabwe Government enacted the Data Protection Act, which criminalizes various forms of online violence against women and children, including child sexual abuse material, cybergrooming, and exposing children to pornographic material.
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First industry roundtable on online violence against women and children: During Cybersecurity Month, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, with UNICEF support, held Zimbabwe’s first industry roundtable on online violence against women and children.
Data Sources
Legal documents and references supporting this data
Showing 5 of 8 sources
veritaszim.net1090
veritaszim.net1091
zbcnews.co.zwgovernment-set-to-unveil-new-child-online-protection-policy
michalsons.com27988
herald.co.zwrealities-challenges-of-explicit-content-censorship-in-the-digital-age
All sources are evaluated for credibility and relevance. Primary sources indicate official legal documents and government publications. Credibility scores reflect source reliability based on jurisdiction, publication authority, and verification status.
Related Countries
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Regulatory Authorities
Regulator contacts will appear here as they become available.