CHALLENGES BROUGHT BY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
22 April 2025
22 April 2025, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) recently briefed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade on the prevalence of harmful and prohibited content accessible on the online platforms. Harmful content is described as content that causes emotional, psychological or normal distress to a person, whether it be through any online or offline medium, including through the internet. Prohibited content is described as content which amounts to propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence, advocacy of hatred that is based on an identifiable group characteristics, or is prohibited in section 16 (2), 16 (4) and 18 (3) …. read more
EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONDUCT WHICH VIOLATES THE RIGHT TO HUMAN DIGNITY
19 February 2025
19 February 2025, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has noted with concern a video clip posted on various social media platforms showing a group of men being assaulted at Zanzou Club and being forced to perform explicit sexual acts which violates or shows disrespect for the right to human dignity. In terms of the Films and Publications Act, 1996 (Act No. 65 of 1996) as amended), it is a criminal offence to distribute in public content which contains explicit sexual conduct which violates or shows disrespect for the right to human dignity of any person …read more
MEDIA ADVISORY FPB OUTREACH INITIATIVE IN NW PROMOTING CHILD ONLINE SAFETY AND PROTECTION
29 October 2024
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) is excited to announce an upcoming outreach initiative aimed at promoting child online safety and protection against harmful content. This initiative will include workshops and engagement activities specifically designed for children, youth, parents, caregivers, and Law Enforcement Authorities (LEAs) in the North West province.…read more
IMMEDIATE RELEASE FPB FILM CLASSIFICATION RATING PROTECTING MINDS PROTECTING CHILDREN
10 September 2024
10 September 2024, Centurion, In an era where media consumption is at an all-time high, the importance of film classification has never been more critical. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the content consumed by the public, particularly children, is appropriate and safe. Through a rigorous classification process, the FPB safeguards the interests of society by providing age-appropriate ratings that inform viewers about potentially disturbing or harmful material.…read more
FPB TO HOST STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE ON BUILDING SAFER ONLINE SPACES FOR YOUNG MINDS IN KZN
19 June 2024
Durban, South Africa – June 19, 2024 – The Film and Publication Board (FPB) is pleased to announce the upcoming Child Protection Stakeholder Dialogue, scheduled to take place in KwaZulu-Natal on the 21st of June. This event aims to bring together child protection experts from government, civil society, and non-governmental organizations to address the pressing issues of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in the province…read more
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN ABUSE
20 November 2023
20 November 2023, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) will be launching it’s 16 Days of Against Online Gender Based Violence in Bloemfontein on the 25th November. The theme for this campaign is “One Voice: Speak out on Online Gender – Based Violence and Report it”. Violence against women, children and other vulnerable groups has taken on a new dimension. It has gone online and include, amongst many others, cyberbullying, grooming, and recording and sharing in-person violence and sexually explicit images...read more
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE BILL
02 November 2023
02 November 2023, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB), a content regulatory authority of South Africa, notes and supports the Gender Based Violence and Femicide Bill that seeks to establish the National Council to oversee and coordinate Government’s efforts to combat GBVF crimes... read more
THE FILM AND PUBLICATION BOARD WILL BE HOSTING A REGULATORS ROUNDTABLE ON REGULATING THE DIGITAL ECONOMY – A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TOWARDS REGULATION
02 August 2023
02 August 2023, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) will on Friday, 04 August host a Regulators Roundtable on the regulatory challenges and opportunities brought by the digital world. The purpose of the roundtable is to reflect on the South African digital environment from a regulatory perspective and look at ways to foster a better collaboration amongst regulators. Joined by the international regulators from UK and Australia and major industry players in the industry, Information Regulator, .ZADNA, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the National Consumer Commission and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority…read more.
CONTEXTUALIZING THE FPB’s NEW BRAND REPOSITIONING AS A CONTENT REGULATORY AUTHORITY
29 March 2023
In February 2023, the Film and Publication Board (FPB) unveiled its new logo and Brand Repositioning Strategy which redefined it as a Content Regulatory Authority of South Africa. The purpose of this article is to contextualize this Brand Reposition Strategy. The FPB’s Brand Reposition Strategy as the Content Regulatory Authority of South Africa is anchored on the following: Powers and responsibilities entrusted to it by the Films and Publications Amendment Act, no 11 of 2019 (the Act), its mandate to protect the public, particularly children against harmful and prohibited content, contained in films, games and publications as content… read more
FPB ADVISES THE PUBLIC NOT TO SHARE THE VIDEO INCITING IMMINENT VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PUBLIC
13 March 2023
13 March 2023, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has noted with concern the trending video clip posted by a person claiming to be member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Twitter inciting violence against everyone who will not be participating in the national “shutdown”. In terms of the video, any pupil wearing a school uniform on that particular Monday will be beaten up including teachers, policemen and everyone else.… read more
PRIVATE SEXUAL FILM DISTRIBUTED ONLINE PURPORTED AS SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE FREE STATE PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA IS IN CONTRAVENTION OF THE FILMS AND PUBLICATIONS ACT, 1996 (ACT NO. 65 OF 1996), AS AMENDED – FPB’s RESPONSE
10 November 2022
10 November 2022, Centurion. The Film and Publications Board (FPB) has noted the video which has been trending, particularly on Twitter, of the Free State Legislature Speaker, Ms. Ntobmbizanele Sifuba. It is reported the video is an explicit depiction of extreme nudity. From the FPB’s perspective, the material is not only harmful as defined in the Films & Publications Act. The free distribution of the material on a freely platform like Twitter, it further exposes children to age-inappropriate material which is prohibited by the Act.… read more
OPERATIONALISATION OF THE FILMS AND PUBLICATIONS AMENDMENT ACT
02 September 2022
02 September 2022, Centurion. The Films and Publications Regulations, 2022 (Regulations) was
published in the Government Gazette on 2 September 2022 as an instrument to implement the Films
& Publications Amendment (Act.11 of 2019) that came into operation on 1 March 2022 which, amongst
others, expanded the mandate of the FPB from a traditional classification authority to a regulator of
content that is distributed on digital platforms.… read more
CREATING A SAFER ONLINE ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN IN SPORT – FPB SEMINAR ON ONLINE HATE AND CYBER ABUSE
26 August 2022
26 August 2022, Centurion. The impact of hate speech cuts across – from human rights protection and prevention of atrocity and crimes to sustaining peace and achieving gender equality and supporting children, the vulnerable and the youth. In commemoration of the 2022 Women’s Month, the Film and Publication Board (FPB) has aligned its programme to the national theme Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment: Building Back Better for Women’s Improved Resilience… read more
FILM AND PUBLICATION BOARD TO REVIEW CLASSIFICATION RATING OF SHOWMAX SERIES
12 March 2022
12 March 2022, Centurion. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) is aware of online public concern regarding an episode of the Showmax series, The Wife. Showmax currently has an Online Distribution Agreement with FPB, which accredits them to use the FPB Classification Guidelines to self-classify, by aligning the ratings of their content to the FPB… read more
A SIGN OF CHANGING TIMES: KEEPING OUR CITIZENS SAFE IN THE DIGITAL AGE
03 March 2022
03 March 2022, Pretoria. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) and the Film and Publication Board (FPB) welcome the Proclamation by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which operationalises the Films and Publications Amendment Act (2019) (FPA Act) effective 1 March 2022. The Films and Publications Amendment Act was signed into law in 2019… read more
ARE COMPUTER FACILITATED CRIMES ON THE INCREASE?
23 November 2020
23 November 2020, Centurion. As the country embarks on its 16 Day of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, the Film and Publication Board (FPB) is mobilizing South Africans through a call to action to eradicate all forms of Gender-Based Violence. The FPB will convene a series of dialogues in 2 provinces on the topic of Computer Facilitated Crimes against Children, aiming to advocate for safer content consumption and protecting children from sexual exploitation on the internet… read more
ARE WE CREATING A FUTURE GENERATION OF NARCISSISTS WITH SHORT ATTENTION SPANS?
1 June, 2020
1 June 2020, Centurion. A permanent selfie pout, scattered attention span and overdeveloped
thumbs. Will this be the defining features of our generation? For decades the nature versus
nurture debate has raged, but the overwhelming evidence in this digital age… read more
KEEPING KIDS SAFELY ENTERTAINED DURING SCHOOL CLOSURE
19 March, 2020
19 March 2020, Centurion. Physical distancing has become an overnight buzz word all around the globe, as countries take action to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). In South Africa, fast and decisive action was taken to close schools until after the Easter weekend… read more
MORE ONLINE STREAMING COMPANIES ALIGNING TO SOUTH AFRICAN CONTENT REGULATION
21 February, 2020
21 February 2020, Centurion.The Film and Publication Board (FPB) is delighted to welcome Netflix International onboard licensed online content distributing platforms, following the recent signing of a distribution agreement between both parties.
Netflix joins the likes of Showmax… read more
WORLD WIDE WEB – PROTAGONIST OR ANTAGONIST: ARE YOUR CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE?
Feb 11, 2020
06 February 2010, Centurion. When a Pretoria teenager killed herself last year because of the online bullying she was experiencing, it brought to bear the daily suffering young children endure online. While our children stand to gain immensely and the internet has opened up to them a whole new world we could never imagine, as parents and caregivers, we should sit up and ponder whether unsupervised… read more
