Communications Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana has set off to Greece where she will participate in the International Association of Internet Hotlines (InHope) Annual General Assembly in Crete.
Kekana is leading a Film and Publication Board (FPB) delegation to participate in the InHope Annual General Meeting to be held on Monday.
The Deputy Minister’s participation at the InHope follows South Africa’s National Child Protection Week, which was observed under the theme “Let us all Protect Children to Move South Africa Forward”.
The focus of the InHope meeting is consistent with government’s attempt to ensure that minors are protected from accessing inappropriate and harmful content. This has now become a matter of both national and international interest.
“It is common cause that children are seen to be more impressionable, less critical and therefore more vulnerable than adults, they have little experience and consequently insufficiently developed frames of reference to guide their judgment.
“It has become increasingly important to protect children in light of increased access to television, internet, videos and mobile devices,” Kekana said.
About InHope
InHope was founded in 1999 under the European Union Safer Internet Action Plan.
As of December 2016, InHope has 48 members across the world, supporting them in responding to reports of illegal content (child sexual abuse material).
It is a condition as a member of InHope that all member hotlines have the support of their national government, internet industry and law enforcement, and they must offer effective transparent procedures for dealing with complaints.
The FPB was accepted as a member in 2011, and today South Africa is the only country in Africa that has been accepted into the InHope community.
The InHope Foundation assists countries to develop otlines and to become a member of the InHope community.
In its expansion strategy, the foundation has identified Africa as key content for expansion continent, and the FPB has been identified as the gateway to the rest of Africa.
To this end, the FPB is committed working closely with the foundation to expand on existing relationships on the continent to assist in establishing more hotlines. – SAnews.gov.za
