South Africa hails court order against online child abuse

A Gauteng High Court ruling has forced Meta to delete harmful content and user accounts linked to online child sexual abuse. Authorities urge parents to stay alert as digital threats to children grow.

By Nhlanhla Muthe

Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele calls for digital accountability as South Africa cracks down on child exploitation in a landmark court ruling against Meta

Tech giant Meta has been ordered to take down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels that were found distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), sending a powerful message against online exploitation.

The court ruling, issued by Judge Mudunwazi Makamu, compels Meta to immediately remove all content of a sexual nature involving South African school children and to permanently delete all related user profiles. The decision has been welcomed by South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the Film and Publication Board (FPB) as a critical step toward in protecting children in the digital age.

Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele stated that the crime of online child exploitation and abuse has grown exponentially and has become the most insidious form of global, modern and borderless cybercrime.

“The psychological effects on victims of child pornography are long-lasting and devastating, hence we applaud the high court ruling,” he said.

South Africa’s Films and Publications Act defines child pornography as any image or depiction, regardless of how it is created, showing a child engaged in sexual activity. The Act criminalises the production, possession, distribution, and even exposure of children to such content, with harsh penalties including fines and imprisonment.

The Deputy Minister also urged vigilance at the household level. “Parents and guardians are encouraged to regularly monitor their children’s online activities and educate them about harmful and prohibited content that could lead to their arrest as well as the long-term psychological effects of such content on victims,” he said.

The FPB has ramped up public awareness efforts and urged citizens to report harmful or prohibited content via its toll-free hotline (0800 148 148) or WhatsApp channel (083 428 4767).

Gungubele stressed that as Africa's digital spaces expand, this ruling underscores the urgent need for stronger content regulation and digital accountability to protect the continent’s youngest and most vulnerable.