Africa’s worst new Internet Censorship Law: everything you don’t want to know – but need to
- Julie Reid
- Feb 6
- 1 min read
The Film and Publication Board’s new Draft Online Regulation Policy has been touted as a measure to protect the children. But if the children of our future get to take a look at its deeply censorial and draconian measures, they ought to be extremely offended.
The Film and Publications Board’s (FPB) Draft Online Regulation Policy has been called “Africa’s worst new Internet censorship law”. Condemnation for the policy has been swift, damning, and widespread, and an online petition against the policy quickly gathered thousands of signatures. Many decry the policy as an attempt to censor the Internet in South Africa.
To its credit, the FPB has shown a remarkable level of willingness to openly engage the public and its critics with regard to the policy, hosting a series of public consultation sessions around the country. Last week, such engagements played out in part via the media, and the FPB hosted a public engagement session at the Turbine Hall in Johannesburg. I took part in those engagements, and below is an account both of what happened, what is wrong with what happened, and some additional analysis of the FPB’s fundamentally flawed arguments.