SAHRC to launch report on children’s online privacy and safety in Pretoria

What the report documents

The report collates the outcomes of a multi-stakeholder conference and sets out the SAHRC’s analysis of current legal protections for children online. It records input from a broad mix of participants and aims to present a consolidated view of where South Africa’s laws may fall short in protecting children in digital spaces.

Who took part in the conference

The stakeholders’ conference brought together government departments, UN agencies, regulators, technology companies, civil society and children themselves to discuss online risks and possible solutions. The SAHRC says the report reflects that coordinated, solutions-driven dialogue.

Legal gaps the report identifies

The SAHRC’s analysis highlights significant gaps in South Africa’s legal framework that, it says, leave children vulnerable online. The report specifically refers to shortcomings in multiple existing Acts:

• Protection of Personal Information Act
• Films and Publications Amendment Act
• Cybercrimes Act
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act

According to the SAHRC, weaknesses across these statutes contribute to insufficient protection of children’s privacy and safety when they interact with online platforms and services.

Online harms the report highlights

The SAHRC states the identified legal gaps leave children exposed to a range of online harms. The report lists specific concerns, including:

• Grooming and exploitation
• Cyberbullying
• Harmful content
• Addictive platform design
• Unconsented collection and posting of children’s personal data

“While these platforms provide opportunities for learning, creativity, and empowerment, they also expose children to serious risks including cyberbullying, harmful content, exploitation, data misuse, and violations of their human rights, and in particular the right to privacy,” Wisani Baloyi said.

Children’s Declaration and calls for action

The report includes a Children’s Declaration, adopted by child participants at the March conference. The Declaration sets out a call to action addressed to government, technology companies, schools, parents and civil society. It represents the views and demands of the children who took part in the stakeholder process and is incorporated into the SAHRC’s published findings.

Why the launch matters

The SAHRC frames the launch as a response to growing internet access and children’s increasing participation in online spaces. The report is presented as an attempt to map the intersection between children’s rights and digital technologies and to make the case that current laws do not fully address the specific ways children experience risk online.

By drawing attention to legislative gaps and collating the perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders, the report aims to inform public debate about possible reform. Where legal protections are unclear or outdated, children can be left more exposed to harms and less able to exercise their rights, the SAHRC’s conference findings indicate.

What readers should expect at the Pretoria launch

The anticipated launch in Pretoria will formally present the conference report and its findings. The SAHRC intends the document to serve as a basis for further discussion among policymakers, regulators, industry and civil society on how to close the gaps identified and strengthen protections for children online.

In general, report launches of this type set out the evidence gathered during stakeholder engagement, outline key concerns and often offer options for policy and legislative reform. They also create an opportunity for follow-up dialogue, working-group formation or recommendation uptake by those with regulatory or legislative responsibility.

Takeaway

The SAHRC’s forthcoming report compiled by the CRU and rooted in the March 28 stakeholders’ conference foregrounds children’s rights to privacy and safety on online platforms and flags areas where South Africa’s legal framework may need reform. It includes the voices of children themselves through a Children’s Declaration and highlights specific harms and statutory gaps that the commission believes require attention.