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SANEF holds a successful workshop on why disinformation destroys democracy

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Mr Sy Mamabolo, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) at the IEC addresses the workshop; photo by Dzudzie Faith Netshisaulu

24 January 2024

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) held its first event of the year at its new offices in Rosebank, Johannesburg on 23 January 2024 in partnership with Media Monitoring Africa.

The workshop on elections, social media, and disinformation was attended by representatives of the IEC, Press Council, Africa Check, media academia, lawyers the Human Rights Commission, Digital Forensics Lab, journalists, and editors from different publications, including the SABC.

The aim of the workshop was for the media to be prepared for election misinformation, disinformation as well as intimidation and to identify information held by social media platforms that can assist in mitigating these risks.

According to a UNESCO/Ipsos survey done in 16 countries including South Africa, 91% of the respondents think that during election campaigns, social media platforms should take an active role in combatting disinformation and “fake news”; and 89% think that during election campaigns, the government and regulators should take an active role in combatting online disinformation and “fake news”.

The workshop was moderated by veteran SANEF member, Professor Guy Berger, who led a risk assessment exercise with the ultimate objective of holding big tech accountable and ensuring the media is free to operate and report freely and fairly.

The workshop agreed that a message needs to be sent to political parties who bully journalists and to big tech that civil society is watching them on social media for bullying narratives and for not taking down online hatred quickly.

Fact-checking organisations are crucially important currently – there are about 15 on the continent and Africa Check has offered to assist South African media to quickly check facts in this election period.

The workshop identified the following potential election-related online risks:

  • Silencing voices by intimidation
  • Attacks on journalists/Incitement via social media
  • Disinformation on elections
  • Manipulated media
  • Attacks on election integrity
  • Hacking of IEC pages/posts
  • Gendered bullying/threats of rape and murder of women journalists
  • Promoting distrust in the electoral process.

Some of the ideas discussed include getting media lawyers on standby to approach the electoral court as soon as a problem is reported by a journalist of intimidation, bullying, cyber-misogyny, and other conduct endangering freedom of media and freedom of expression.

SANEF also proposed that tech platforms use news produced by credible media to counter fake news on their platforms; and encouraged the Human Rights Commission to publicise their social media Charter to guide the public on the responsible use of social media and legal remedies when their rights are violated.

Note to Editors:

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

 For more information please contact:

  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Chairperson (073) 404-1415
  • Nwabisa Makunga – SANEF Deputy Chairperson (082) 555-1972
  • Dr. Glenda Daniels – SANEF Acting Secretary-General 083) 229-9708
  • Tshamano Makhadi – Treasurer-General (082) 223 0621
  • Makhudu Sefara – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (079) 177-2134
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Heather Robertson – SANEF Acting Gauteng Convenor (083) 308 5618
  • Rochelle De Kock – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
  • Reggy Moalusi – SANEF Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Access to Information & Regulatory

Briefing on Audio and Audio Visual White Paper

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On 26 January 2021 The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and the Press Council hosted a briefing on the  Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) recently published Draft White Paper on Audio and Audio-visual Content Services Policy Framework: A New Vision for South Africa 2020.

The briefing was arranged to assist journalism bodies and media houses to better understand the proposed regulation and to help them in responding to the invitation for public comment, which is due on 15 February.

It is important for press stakeholders to engage with the draft White paper because if the final policy follows the proposals set out in the draft, the landscape for the regulation of journalistic content – particularly online video – will dramatically change.

The draft policy proposes statutory licensing of popular online video outlets, administered by ICASA, which will be applicable to traditional journalism outlets which have never been subject to licensing requirements.

Many of these publications are currently subscriber members of the Press Council, complying with the Press Code when they publish the online video.

One of the key questions that journalists asked after they saw the draft White Paper, was why the proposed policy does not follow the pattern already established in our law, in compliance with media freedom provisions in the Constitution: namely to provide for exemptions for Press Code subscribers (such as in the Film and Publications Act) or for journalistic content (such as in POPIA and other legislation, or for other forms of voluntary regulation.

Collin Mashile, Department of Communications Chief Director: broadcasting policy,  ‎said the following:

“We do respect Media Freedom, diversity and pluralism and the transparency related thereto. I was responsible for the films and the publications amendment bill and there-in we had recognised the self-regulatory nature of the press, but I think the issue we will need to assist the department with is around, as we move towards the 4IR and online environment, we have press that will generate online or audio-visual content that will look like your broadcasting content.

 So, what we are saying to you is that, as the press, as the people that will own websites, that will own content, if you can indicate how you want that regulated going forward. The lay of the land as it is currently, FPB is the one that is responsible for Internet, Icasa is responsible for broadcasting and there is a policy intended to move towards one content classification mechanism and one content regulation, hence I think the Minister announced that there is an intention to merge Icasa with FPB and (dot.za) because it is the recognition that everything is merging and that everything is moving online. Our approach is to respect the development that has happened around the press, the press developed in a self-regulatory mechanism, hence in broadcasting we have the BCCSA and related to others but with ICASA having the backstop powers so that when the BCCSA matters fail ICASA as the regulator will have that mechanism.

We have been following developments across the globe, Australia and the commonwealth in general and the UK around the press development and all the enquiries related to the emergency of the online platform.it will really assist us to say from your side as you are being affected with these digital platforms how they merge.

“We had an engagement as the department, FPB and the self-regulatory body of the press and I think they were looking to say this is what we believe should fall within the press self-regulatory mechanism and this is what we believe should fall within the FPB, so as we are moving towards these conversions and wanting to have one classification mechanism and one regulatory environment, it will assist to say moving forward, this is how we believe or this is how we would feel comfortable with being regulated as the press and the press owners or would have online content that looks like broadcasting and that is regulated elsewhere and how do we believe as South African content we should be regulated.

We have not taken any decision but will appreciate your input and direction in terms of how do you see your future within this new 4IR regulation.”

The presentation by Ms Ntombi Makwetu, Director: Creative Industries of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is available here: Audio and Audio Visual Content Policy Presentation _11 NOVEMBER 2020 DCDT (002) as well as the full recording of the two-hour session.

 

Access to Information & Regulatory

Social Media Usage Policy for Subscriber Members

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Social media has become one of the primary tools through which journalists carry out their work. Whilst the advent of this technology has greatly expanded the means by which journalists can communicate directly with the public, it has also brought about interesting new challenges for journalists as well as their employers.

Please click the link below for the social media policy guidelines produced by the Press Council. These guidelines will assist you in drawing up a social media policy for your journalists.

Standard Social Media Policy issued by Press Council May 2020

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Katy Katopodis – SANEF Deputy Chairperson, (082) 805-7022
  • Moipone Malefane – SANEF Secretary-General (082) 772-5861
  • Mary Papayya – SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape Convenor (078) 041-9528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Gauteng Regional Convenor (083) 582-1734
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – (082) 926-6404

Socials

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Email: [email protected]

Website: SANEF

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SANEF Concerned By ANC Accusations Of Media Publishing Misinformation

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is concerned by an ANC statement published on 6 May 2020 in which it accused a national weekend newspaper, Rapport of peddling misinformation.

The ANC statement failed to mention the title and author of the article, date of publication and page where the alleged false headlines and content were published.

Editor of Rapport, Waldimar Pelser states, “accusations of spreading misinformation should not be made without offering evidence of factual errors, which after three days, the ANC had not yet produced. In this case, we believe the only “mistake” we made was to upset the ANC by reporting on government’s attempts to centralise the distribution of food parcels, which lead to thousands of KZN families waiting more than a week for aid.”

While SANEF recognizes the right of the ANC to challenge reports and to express its opinions on any article published, we believe it needs to back up its accusations with relevant facts. Further, we believe that the ANC should have engaged with the editor and/or reported any inaccuracies to the Press Ombud’s office.

The Press Ombud, in the case of online and print publications and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) in the case of broadcasting, has powers to investigate and sanction media houses that report false or inaccurate information. SANEF calls on the ANC to recognize these processes and mechanisms for channelling complaints. We believe that in this way it will then lead by example.

Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852

Katy Katopodis – Acting SANEF Chairperson, (082) 805-7022

Moipone Malefane – SANEF Secretary-General (082) 772-5861

Mary Papayya – Acting SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957

Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415

Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape SANEF Convenor (078) 041-9528

Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Acting Gauteng Regional Convenor (083) 582-1734

Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334

Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – (082) 926-6404

Twitter: @SAEditorsForum

Email: [email protected] Website: www.sanef.org.za

Diversity and Ethics (2)

Vacancies : Press Council of South Africa

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The Press Council of South Africa invites applications or nominations for  PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES for current and future vacancies on the council and panel adjudicators

Applicants must be citizens of and permanently resident in South Africa, be at least 21 years old, and committed to the values underpinning the South African Constitution, as well as the Code of Ethics and Conduct for South African print and online media.

Any person who has a financial interest in the media, occupies a seat in a local, provincial or national legislative body, or is an office-bearer of a political party or movement, or is in the employ of the public service, is not eligible. A nomination must be accompanied by a letter from the nominee accepting the nomination.

Please see the link for more details:  Press Council _ Public Representative 

 

The Press Council also invites applications for the PUBLIC ADVOCATE VACANCY

The applicant is required to have in-depth knowledge of the role of the media in a democratic society in general, and of the Press Code.  She/he will be impartial and fair and must have strong communication, facilitation and mediation skills.

Please see the link for more details:   Press Council _ Public Advocate

Diversity and Ethics (2)

Press Council Appoints Acting Public Advocate

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The Press Council of South Africa has appointed Mr Fanie Groenewald as acting Public Advocate, with immediate effect, Executive Director Ms Latiefa Mobara announced on Thursday 20 February 2020.

Mr Groenewald is a long-standing member of the Panel of Adjudicators of the Press Council, a former Tshwane University of Technology journalism lecturer and a former Beeld newspaper journalist. He will act as Public Advocate until a permanent appointment is made to replace the former public advocate, Mr Joe Latakgomo.

Ms Mobara said: “We are delighted that Fanie Groenewald has agreed to act as the Public Advocate. He is one of our most-experienced adjudicators who has contributed to many rulings, hearings and appeals at the Press Council during the past decade.

“He understands the Press Code of South Africa intimately, having contributed deeply to its development, and he will act as the complainants’ friend – helping complainants to formulate their complaints against our subscriber members who may have transgressed and attempting to mediate fair and reasonable settlements.

“If he is unable to resolve matters by mediation and they get referred to Ms Pippa Green, the Press Ombud, for adjudication; Fanie will be available to assist and act as the representative of the complainant at the hearing.

“It is a vital role in the Press Council  and Fanie will act to ensure that the process, which is free to complainants, is speedy and efficient.”
Ends