The Personal Data Protection Act provides a comprehensive regime of data protection in Tanzania. It contains detailed provisions imposing obligations on data controllers and data processors, including requirements associated with data security and international data transfers, and establishes the Personal Data Protection Commission.

Tanzania has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Section 13 of the Online Content Regulations (2020) requires internet cafe operators to:
- keep a proper service user register and ensure every person using internet service is registered upon showing a recognised identity card;
- install surveillance cameras to record and archive activities inside the cafe.
The images recorded by a surveillance camera and the register of users recorded shall be kept for a period of 12 months.

Tanzania has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

According to the Electronic and Postal Act of 2010, the licensee of a telecommunications licence is required to store subscriber communication data for one month, after which the data must be submitted to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. Section 91 specifies that: "(1) There shall be a database kept within the Authority in which all Subscriber Information shall be stored. (2) The Authority shall be responsible for monitoring and supervising the information stored under sub-section (1). (3) Every application services licensee shall be required to submit to the Authority, once a month, a list containing its subscribers' information. (4) The Authority shall issue guidelines on the details of subscriber information to be submitted."

Tanzania does not have a comprehensive framework in place that provides effective protection of trade secrets. It is reported that the protection of trade secrets is mostly by way of common law and equity in the form of judicial decisions.

Section 27.3 of the Personal Data Protection Act requires that either the data collector or the data processor must appoint a personal data protection officer who will ensure the security of the data.

It is reported that there is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Tanzania to deliver telecom services to end users. It is practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.

Sections 34 and 35 of the Cybercrimes Act allow a police station or a law enforcement officer to collect or record traffic or content data associated with a specified communication during a specified period without a court order. Section 32 states that "(1) Where the disclosure of data is required for the purposes of a criminal investigation, or the prosecution of an offence, a police officer in charge of a police station or a law enforcement officer of a similar rank may issue an order to any person in possession of such data compelling him to disclose such data."

Section 22 of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Licensing) Regulations stipulates that foreign investment in the telecommunications sector is restricted to a maximum of 75%

TTCL (Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited) is a state-owned telecommunications company in Tanzania that offers fixed-line, mobile, broadband internet, and data services. The company also has a fibre optic network throughout the country, enabling it to offer high-speed connectivity services to businesses and homes. TTCL has been a key player in the expansion of Tanzania's telecommunications infrastructure and the promotion of internet access and other telecommunications services throughout the country.
TTCL was privatised in February 2001, when a Consortium MSI of the Netherlands and Detecon of Germany acquired 35% shares of the company from the Government of Tanzania. However, the Government of Tanzania fully repossessed TTCL ownership by 100% from June 2016. Tanzanian government owns 40% of Bharti Airtel. The Government of Zanzibar (a partly self-governing state in Tanzania) owns a 15% stake in Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel).
It is reported that the government's effort to privatise TTCL has stalled. TTCL has been given management of the national fibre backbone and will service all districts; private operators must contract for service with TTCL. In addition, investors report that though the government has authorised some private companies to build terrestrial fibre networks, governing regulations remain unclear and inconsistently applied.

It is reported that Tanzania mandates functional and accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market.

According to Art. 26 of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act 2010, as amended in 2017 by the Finance Act (2017), licensees holding Network Facilities and Network Service licenses are required to offer at least 25% of their shares to the public—both local and foreign—through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE). If a licensee fails to meet the prescribed 25% threshold of issued and paid-up share capital following the IPO, the Capital Markets and Securities Authority, in consultation with the Minister responsible for Capital Markets and considering market conditions, will issue directives to guide the licensee on how to achieve the 25% shareholding requirement. This requirement is also confirmed in Section 22(a) of the Licensing Regulations (2018).
Additionally, the application and initial licensing fees vary depending on the type of license and coverage area—International, National, or Regional. According to the first schedule of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Licensing) Regulations, the fees for Network Services are as follows: International coverage requires an application fee of USD 10,000, an initial license fee of USD 300,000, and a renewal license fee of USD 400,000; National coverage requires an application fee of USD 5,000, an initial license fee of USD 600,000, and a renewal license fee of USD 750,000; Regional coverage requires an application fee of USD 2,000, an initial license fee of USD 23,100, and a renewal license fee of USD 26,500.

Section 20 (b) of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Licensing) Regulations, 2018, establishes that an applicant for the individual license shall submit to the Authority a business plan together with other documents as provided for under the Licensing Regulations.

Tanzania has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.