According to the SAHRC, social media has amplified grievances, stoked fear and anger, and mobilized individuals to take destructive action.
The failure of South African law enforcement agencies to quickly respond and counter digital orchestration and incitement through social media and other online platforms led to the escalation of the July 2021 unrest.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) announced yesterday that it has released a report into the July 2021 unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that claimed approximately 350 lives.
The SAHRC said online communication and coordination played a role in inciting the violence.
It added that images and footage of the gruesome violence were shared on social media, especially with the hashtags #KZNViolence, #pheonixmassacre, #EthnicMobilisation and #IndiansMustFall.
The violence and destruction also caused damage to infrastructure and businesses, costing the South African economy around R50 billion, with an additional 2 million jobs lost or affected.
Launching the report, SAHRC Commissioner Fille Ntuli said the commission found that a myriad of factors contributed to the outbreak of destruction and violence during the riots.
“The violence and destruction were symptoms of unresolved social conditions, including the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, high unemployment, illegality, discrimination, socio-economic divisions and problems within the security sector.
“The commission concluded that organized groups and individuals took advantage of these circumstances to usurp the rule of law,” Ntuli said.
Expansion of destructive behavior
The report finds that social media has amplified grievances through the creation and dissemination of inflammatory content, inciting fear and anger and mobilizing individuals to take destructive action.
“The nature of social media and the movement towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution requires governments to think outside the box and operationalize the collection of intelligent information from social media platforms,” the SAHRC said. Masu.
“From the evidence available, it was clear that mechanisms are available to gather intelligence to counter the weaponization of these platforms. However, responsible organizations are taking steps to improve their skills. We didn't have the capacity to do so at the time.”
The commission also found that the state lacked the capacity and mechanisms to adequately address and counter misinformation and disinformation, and even if it did have it, it did not use it effectively.
Additionally, digital media monitoring experts have determined that data generated through online monitoring cannot identify a specific cause.
The commission also found a worrying lack of awareness among the public about their online obligations and responsibilities when practicing responsible communication on social media platforms.
“This lack of awareness has clearly had serious consequences, with a range of criminal acts including incitement, hate speech and harassment taking place during the unrest.
“Therefore, the Committee believes that the fight against disinformation is not only about protecting the right to access accurate information, but also about preserving the integrity of democratic institutions, protecting national security interests, and protecting the public's right to access accurate information. We have judged that it is essential to recognize that it is also important to ensure the welfare of the people.'' A comprehensive approach that combines technology solutions, media literacy, and collaboration between governments, technology companies, and civil society is essential to effectively counter disinformation, which threatens both human rights and national security. ”
The Commission urges the Minister of Communications to work with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the Public Broadcasting Authority to proactively promote public understanding of the legislative framework that prevents the abuse and abuse of misinformation and disinformation. It recommends that measures be taken.
In addition to this, the Commission recommends the use of the Social Media Charter as an advocacy tool in this regard.
Last year, SAHRC introduced the Social Media Charter in an effort to bring positive change to social media platforms, as some are becoming hotbeds of harmful content.
Dealing with online threats
Effectively counter online threats such as incitement to violence, harassment, hate speech, and organized crime syndicate activity. The committee recommends that states allocate resources to establish expert-level committees.
It notes that the committee should be comprised of experts with relevant expertise who can provide guidance, draft directives, and provide advice on identifying and mitigating online threats.
The commission also recommends that the National Prosecuting Authority (NDPP) outline its strategic response to cybercrime, particularly incitement to violence.
The report said evidence provided by law enforcement, national security sectors, media and security experts highlights the rapidly growing threat of social media-based violence.
The commission notes that several charges of incitement to public violence were brought and the cases were dropped due to technical challenges posed by the complex nature of the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) process.
This encourages the NDPP to strengthen MLA practices between South Africa and other countries within the international community to protect safety and security rights and ensure successful prosecution of cybercrime. .