This study assessed the level of social media censorship and the freedom of expression among social media users in Ilala District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to explore levels of awareness of mechanisms for managing censorship and regulatory frameworks affecting social media users. The results also revealed that concerning social media censorship, the majority of people had a different comprehension of it, where a big proportion of the respondents showed a limited understanding of the laws and policies regarding it. Results indicated that only 58% of participants were aware of the Tanzanian laws concerning social media surveillance; this represents a critical gap in knowledge. Users are reacting to censorship by self-censoring, encrypted communication, and activism. The study also emphasizes increasing public education on social media regulations and digital literacy to protect freedom of expression in an increasingly regulated online space. Such findings go toward policy development and add to the broad debate over digital rights and freedom of expression.