Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      South Africa begins complex job of overhauling media laws

      13 July 2025

      Nvidia CEO to hold high-stakes media briefing in Beijing

      13 July 2025

      Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

      11 July 2025

      Get your ID delivered like pizza – home affairs’ latest digital shake-up

      11 July 2025

      EFF vows to stop Starlink from launching in South Africa

      11 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » FPB in new move to police online content

    FPB in new move to police online content

    By Sunil Gopal4 March 2015
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Sipho Risiba
    Sipho Risiba

    The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has presented new draft regulations governing online content, which are meant, among other things, to crack down on child pornography and cyber bullying. But enforcing the rules could prove difficult.

    The board will now seek public comment on the draft policy, which was published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday.

    FPB chief operations officer Sipho Risiba said the policy will provide greater protection of children, crack down on child porn, and further educate the public about their rights.

    Risiba said the FPB’s jurisdiction stems from the Films and Publications Act, which allows the agency to regulate games, films and publications, irrespective of the platform.

    “Current legislation is not platform specific, and the FPB’s compliance and classification activities have over the years focused more on physical platforms and less on the online space, resulting in children being exposed to unclassified content accessed through the Internet and other mobile platforms,” the FPB said ahead of the release of the draft policy.

    “Media convergence has fundamentally transformed the way media content is distributed and consumed. The draft online regulation policy is meant to address such challenges.”

    Dominic Cull of the Internet Service Providers’ Association said ISPs will have to watch the process carefully in order to protect their interests.

    Risiba said that the FPB  intends to address concerns around social networking sites, especially in light of the increase in “sexting” and cyber bullying.

    FPB CEO Themba Wakashe said it is still considering the views of other stakeholders and will embark on a roadshow to seek the views of other government agencies.

    The draft policy has some controversial elements. Among them is a call for co-regulation with the industry, but it’s unclear how this will work.

    The policy follows a top-down approach and intends leaning on online distributors, again with no clear definition of who they are. It is assumed that it will target video-on-demand distributors and Internet service providers as a first step. Large companies, including international firms such as Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Google, will also be expected to comply through monitoring and enforcement, with the FPB imposing fines on errant content distributors.

    However, the board hasn’t defined what it means by “online distributor” and it could theoretically affect everyone from Internet service providers to the general public sharing content on social networks or blogs.

    As it stands, the policy attempts to regulate user-generated content. Risiba said that the FPB found that a video of Pretoria pastor Lesego Daniel giving his congregants petrol to drink was harmful to children. But it is unclear how these regulations, if they are introduced, will be enforced.

    There are also fees for “online distributors”, and the possibility of fines. The rand value of the fees and fines has not yet been determined.  — © 2015 NewsCentral Media



    Dominic Cull FPB Ispa Sipho Risiba Themba Wakashe
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleHow much MTN really paid for Afrihost
    Next Article Now MTN calls for deal among rivals

    Related Posts

    TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

    4 July 2025

    Internet industry backs Solly Malatsi’s BEE reform plan

    3 July 2025

    Don’t expect Starlink in South Africa anytime soon

    24 June 2025
    Company News

    $125-trillion traded: Binance redefines global finance in just eight years

    11 July 2025

    NEC XON welcomes HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks

    11 July 2025

    LTE Cat 1 vs Cat 1 bis – what’s the difference?

    11 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.