S7 E4: Rethinking responsibility for child protection online
Africa Rights TalkPlay episode
Show notes
In conversation with Phakamile Madonsela and Belinda Matore
In this episode of Africa Rights Talk, Belinda Matore sits down with Phakamile Madonsela, from Media Monitoring Africa. The episode explores the pressing issue of online harms faced by children in South Africa and the continent more broadly. Drawing from her work at Media Monitoring Africa, Madonsela outlines the dual nature of the digital world—highlighting both its potential for connectivity, education, and self-expression, and its darker side, including cyberbullying, child sexual abuse material, and online stalking. She stresses the importance of equipping young people with digital literacy and the tools to become responsible digital citizens while also emphasizing the need for inclusive, rights-based digital participation frameworks.
Phakamile highlights the interplay between personal responsibility, institutional duty, and systemic influence also speaks to the important role of the state and digital platforms in safeguarding children's rights online. While much responsibility has traditionally been placed on parents, often without sufficient regard to their digital literacy or social context, the state remains the primary duty bearer in upholding children’s rights. Through enforceable legislation, such as South Africa’s POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act), the state is empowered to set the rules by which tech companies must operate. Yet, the interview highlighted how inconsistencies in enforcement allow global platforms like Instagram and TikTok to offer less protection to children in South Africa than in Europe. This disparity reflects a need for stronger state-led regulation and enforcement to ensure equal digital protection.
Phakamile Madonsela is a dedicated advocate for the protection and promotion of children's rights in the media, specializing in children's rights, media, and digital advocacy. At MMA,she leads critical projects that advance child participation and digital rights within the African context, with a particular emphasis on creating safe, inclusive digital spaces for young people. Her expertise centers on the intersection of human rights, internet governance, and children's digital rights, with a passion for child participation in democratic processes. Notably, she was listed in the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2019 and selected for the DGMT Innovation Fellowship in 2024, and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Multidisciplinary Human Rights to further advance her work in child participation and digital rights within the African context.
Belinda Matore is a passionate advocate for children's rights in the digital age, with a special focus on online child protection, digital rights and legal technology. As a Doctor of Laws (LLD) candidate at the University of Pretoria, her research explores legal technology, regulatory compliance, and digital governance, all through the lens of safeguarding children in digital spaces. In her role as Project Officer at the Expression, Information, and Digital Rights (EIDR) Unit, Belinda leads work that strengthens freedom of expression, access to information, digital rights and child safety frameworks within the African context. Her work is driven by a commitment to shaping policies that uphold children’s rights online and empower their participation in digital society. She was recently featured in Legal Africa Magazine for her contributions to the field of digital law and child protection.
This conversation was recorded on 4 June 2025.
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