Embassy Activities

SOUTH AFRICA FILMS AND PUBLICATIONS AMENDMENT ACT

• Government is dedicated to keeping all its citizens protected in the digital age.
• South Africa’s Films and Publications Amendment act has been declared operational.
• Among other things, changes to the Films and Publications Act seek to modernise laws that protect the South African public from exposure to prohibited content distributed online.
• This law also prohibits the exposure of children to harmful digital content that could have adverse psychological and behavioural impact.
• It also introduces much stricter regulations around the distribution of online content in South Africa including through social media.
• Content that promotes hate speech, incitement of violence, propaganda for war, child abuse and child pornography and bestiality is prohibited.
• All laws that are enacted in South Africa give effect to the rights enshrined in our Constitution.

SOUTH AFRICA FILMS AND PUBLICATIONS AMENDMENT ACT

What we say and do online matters.

• The Films and Publications Amendment Act, which was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa will ensure better online protection for everyone.
• The act expands the powers of the Films and Publications Board to regulate online content, and allows the removal of prohibited content on social media.
• Under the act the dissemination of offensive online content is punishable by a number of penalties, including fines or jail time.
• Offenders face a fine ranging from R50 000 to R750 000.
• This new legislation balances the need to protect freedom of expression, while ensuring protection against harm including cases of cyberbullying, the dissemination of personal material without consent and pornographic material.
• The new legislation makes it easier for commercial online distributors to classify their own content.
• It also makes it easier for online commercial distributors to distribute content in South Africa.

Making the online space safer for everyone!

• The act allows for the removal of prohibited content on social media, which includes contents that incites violence and hate speech.
• It criminalises the distribution of intimate or invasive images without the person's consent.
• Increases the penalties for possession of child pornography from five to ten years in jail.
• It provides victims of online revenge pornography with legal recourse.

Let us make our social media spaces safe and welcoming to everyone.

• What we say and do online matters!
• We should all take responsibility for what we post and re-post on social media.
• We call on people to be mindful about what they post and share on social media.
• There is no place for posts that promote hate speech or infringe on the dignity of others.
• Irresponsible, hurtful or malicious social media posts can do great damage to the lives of people in the real world.
• Online threats and abuse can also impact women’s safety offline.

Together we can stop online violence and abuse.

• The effects of online violence or cyberbullying can be devastating, leaving the targeted person feeling hurt, humiliated, angry, depressed or even suicidal.
• You are not powerless if you are a target of online violence and abuse.
• Do not retaliate, responding in a similar manner usually creates a cycle of aggression.
• Save the evidence by capturing the social media post, voice note, image or video.
• This can be used as evidence should you ever need it.
• Block the person and report any abusive comments to social media website administrators.
• If you feel threatened call the SAPS Crime Stop (Tip-off Line): 0860 010 111 or Child line: 0800 055 555.