- ISPA removes three to four malicious local websites weekly, many targeting school learners.
- Scams include fake giveaways, job opportunities and bogus training certificates.
- Take-down notice system allows parents to act swiftly against unlawful content
South African parents have one more reason to feel at ease; the country’s official internet industry representative body, the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA), is actively removing fraudulent websites that pose a danger to unsuspecting internet users, including school learners.
The organisation’s take-down notice process has proven highly effective, with three to four harmful websites removed from the South African internet each week. These websites often mimic local businesses, tricking users into trusting them before offering fake jobs, scholarships, giveaways or even non-existent pets, all in exchange for a “fee.”
Scams have a local look, but are often run from abroad
While scammers are frequently based overseas, they target South Africans by registering local websites to appear trustworthy. Children and teenagers are not spared. The most common learner-targeted scams include fake competitions, fake job ads and falsified academic opportunities.
ISPA chair Sasha Booth-Beharilal warns that, “Online threats to the country’s children are real, but they can be mitigated by parents taking progressive action in the face of potential danger.”
The take-down process allows any individual, parent, guardian or concerned citizen, to report a site suspected of unlawful activity. Once a notice is submitted, ISPA verifies that it meets legal requirements, and where applicable, the hosting provider is required to act swiftly. In most cases, the offending content is removed within 48 hours.
Most take-downs are security-related and highly effective
In 2024, ISPA recorded that 44% of accepted take-downs involved security-related issues like scams and phishing, 40% dealt with intellectual property rights, and 6% related to human dignity violations, such as defamation or exposure of personal data.
Although ISPA only has jurisdiction over content hosted by its members, just one-third of reported cases, its process is highly effective. An impressive 96% of valid take-downs result in the content being removed.
To prevent misuse, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECT Act) holds people accountable for lodging dishonest take-down requests. ISPA does not determine the merits of a claim but ensures compliance with the Act’s strict procedural requirements.
Membership protects service providers and the public
Currently, 235 companies are members of ISPA, all of which have committed to upholding its code, including the take-down process. Membership offers service providers protection from liability for third-party content, as long as they follow the take-down protocol.
This system of shared responsibility means that parents, schools and community members can act quickly against harmful online content, with ISPA providing the tools to help keep children and teenagers safe in an increasingly digital world.
Conviction.co.za
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