South Africa’s Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) calls for sweeping changes to improve children’s online protection, including measures aimed at reducing cyberbullying, grooming, and exposure to harmful content. The commission says the current legal framework does not adequately keep pace with online risks, and it points to concerns ranging from invasive children’s data practices to platform designs that can encourage harmful engagement.
In its recommendations, the SAHRC proposes updating multiple laws covering areas such as children’s data collection and online safety enforcement. Two outlets emphasize that the reforms are meant to strengthen “safety by design” expectations and improve accountability for global technology companies, while another stresses the breadth of threats it identifies, including cyberbullying, harmful content, and commercial exploitation of children’s data. Overall, the coverage aligns on the need for urgent, legal-level action rather than voluntary efforts by platforms alone.
