By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
South Africa’s Minister of
Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has called for
continued engagement on how the country can address harmful online content
while protecting freedom of expression and human rights.
Malatsi delivered the
keynote address at a multi-stakeholder forum on the Governance of Online
Harmful Content and Freedom of Expression held in Sandton, Johannesburg.
The forum brings together
representatives from government, regulators, civil society, academia, the media
and technology sector to examine approaches to creating a safer digital
environment without undermining fundamental rights.
The programme also marks the
launch of a national study examining the nature and impact of harmful content
in South Africa’s online information environment.
The study covers issues
including hate speech, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, xenophobic
narratives and election-related abuse, while also examining the growing
influence of artificial intelligence on information ecosystems.
The forum provides a
platform for stakeholders to consider the regulatory, social and technological
challenges associated with harmful digital content and to explore approaches
that balance online safety with freedom of expression.
The discussions come as the
rapid growth of digital platforms and AI-generated content continues to shape
how information is created, distributed and consumed, raising new questions
around governance, accountability and the protection of human rights.
Through the
multi-stakeholder engagement and the national study, South Africa is seeking to
deepen understanding of online harms and inform approaches to building a safer
and more rights-respecting digital environment.
