The South African regulatory body for film, the Film and Publication Board (FPB), has published a new draft of industry codes and guidelines aimed at preventing online harm and providing guidance for peer-to-peer content sharing in the country.
The new codes and guidelines were published in three parts. These parts span classifying harmful content, preventing online harm, and guidelines for peer-to-peer video sharing.
The FBP said it is obligated to improve how it regulates prohibited and harmful content, “due to the proliferation of child sexual abuse material cases” it deals with daily.
The proposed regulations therefore include forcing online platforms to implement mechanisms to lessen online harm.
The regulatory body also published draft guidelines for peer-to-peer video sharing in South Africa to guide consumers on how to share videos among peers and peer groups on various platforms.
Prohibited content comprises explicit sexual conduct that violates or shows disrespect for any person’s right to human dignity, explicit infliction of domestic violence, or explicit visual representations of extreme violence. It also includes bestiality, incest, rape, and conduct or an act degrading to anyone.
FBP’s new set of regulations comes in light of growing cases of child sexual abuse material cases making the rounds online in the country. The new set of rules by the regulatory body will ensure user safety and well-being on the social media platforms—WhatsApp and Facebook.
