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

      How a dowdy database maker became an investor darling

      18 June 2025

      Who let the dogs order? Sixty60 now delivers for Fido

      18 June 2025

      Starlink to South Africa: ‘We are ready to invest’

      17 June 2025

      Vodacom CEO Joosub bags R71m in pay – but taxman will take a big cut

      17 June 2025

      Major rift opens between Microsoft and OpenAI

      17 June 2025
    • World

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      Yahoo tries to make its mail service relevant again

      13 June 2025

      Qualcomm shows off new chip for AI smart glasses

      11 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025

      South Africa unveils big state digital reform programme

      12 May 2025

      Is this the end of Google Search as we know it?

      12 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025

      TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus

      3 June 2025

      TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround

      28 May 2025
    • Opinion

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025

      Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

      29 May 2025

      Solar panic? The truth about SSEG, fines and municipal rules

      14 April 2025

      Data protection must be crypto industry’s top priority

      9 April 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • 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 » Rethink of online censorship plans mooted

    Rethink of online censorship plans mooted

    By Agency Staff9 July 2015
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Image: Isaac Mao
    Image: Isaac Mao

    Online content in South Africa could be regulated by the Press Council (PCSA) rather than the Film and Publication Board (FPB), according to people with knowledge of the matter.

    The FPB earlier this year published draft regulations that would require pre-classification of any “film, game or certain publication” on the Internet, but those terms came under criticism for being too wide ranging.

    Instead, on Monday, the FPB, the PCSA, the South African National Editors’ Forum and the Interactive Advertising Bureau of South Africa (IAB) met to discuss the implications of the regulations and resolved to present a revised press code.

    But the new policy is not yet final as there is ongoing discussion with stakeholders.

    “We hope it’s set in stone. The FPB chair has said it in two meetings now,” said Andrew Allison, head of the regulatory affairs for the IAB.

    The revised press code is making its way through a public participation process that could see the rules being eventually implemented.

    The FPB, though, has not officially abandoned its draft policy to classify online content in South Africa, Allison said.

    “It doesn’t mean that they’ve backed down. What they’re doing is consulting with a wide range of stakeholders. They’re gathering perspectives from different industry bodies,” Allison said.

    The revised code is expected to differentiate from the FPB proposals in that PCSA members will be regulated for print and online content.

    The PCSA has been working closely with the IAB to ensure that complaints relating to digital content are dealt with.

    The IAB said the FPB has further indicated that it would not seek to regulate content published by the online divisions of print publishers and by online-only publications.

    The FPB sparked controversy in 2012 when it classified artist Brett Murray’s painting The Spear, which depicted President Jacob Zuma with exposed genitals, as “16N”.

    The classification prevented a number of outlets from publishing the art work, triggering accusations that the FPB was acting under government pressure.

    Allison said that the IAB will continue to lobby the FPB over its regulations along with other stakeholders.

    “Our position is that the FPB’s draft online regulation policy is flawed and we will be making written submissions by next Wednesday, 15 July around the policy in its current form.”  — Fin24



    Andrew Allison Film and Publication Board FPB IAB Jacob Zuma Press Council
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleSA gov’t IT spend to rise
    Next Article Zapacab helps taxis take on Uber

    Related Posts

    Zuma daughter to face terrorism incitement charges over social media posts

    29 January 2025

    Ramaphosa orders probe into dodgy Gupta breakfasts

    21 October 2024

    Icasa and other regulators create new top-level forum

    10 October 2024
    Company News

    Disrupt first, ask questions later – the uncomfortable truth about incident response

    18 June 2025

    Sage brings together HR leaders to explore the future of payroll and people management

    18 June 2025

    Altron: a brand journey, a birthday celebration and a bet on Joburg’s future

    17 June 2025
    Opinion

    Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

    2 June 2025

    South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

    2 June 2025

    Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

    29 May 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.