The Film and Publication Board (FPB) is intensifying its call for citizens to report harmful and prohibited content.
During a briefing to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade on 22 April 2025, the FPB emphasised that public action is crucial to curbing emotional, psychological, and physical harm caused by dangerous content, both online and offline.
At the heart of the FPB’s message was a strong appeal to report harmful and prohibited content wherever it is encountered. Broadly, harmful content refers to material causing emotional distress, while prohibited content includes extreme categories such as propaganda for war, incitement to violence, and hate advocacy targeting identifiable groups. The FPB stressed that with digital technologies becoming more entrenched in daily life, vigilance against harmful online material is more critical than ever.
Birderless cybercrime
The FPB’s latest annual trends report revealed a staggering increase in online child exploitation and abuse, described as one of today’s most insidious forms of borderless cybercrime. Women are increasingly targeted, and peer-to-peer sharing of non-consensual intimate images is on the rise further demonstrating why it is vital for the public to report harmful and prohibited content promptly.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, the FPB received 21 cases of Online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) requiring expert analysis. A total of 218,582 images and videos were reviewed, with 18,945 cases confirmed as Child Sexual Abuse Material. The FPB also investigated 34 public complaints covering issues from Child Sexual Abuse Material to online harassment and sextortion, underscoring the serious threats that demand ongoing vigilance and the need to report harmful and prohibited content consistently.
Supporting these efforts, the FPB works hand-in-hand with Law Enforcement Agencies, with trained Child Protection Officers providing expert analyses and testimony in court. Their mandate is not only to uphold the law but to ensure that victims of online exploitation receive justice.
The FPB’s international role is also significant: as a member of the International Association of Internet Hotline, a global network comprising 55 hotlines across 51 countries, the FPB contributes to the worldwide battle against online child abuse and continues to urge citizens to report harmful and prohibited content wherever it appears.
Partnerships with digital platform owners have further strengthened the FPB’s enforcement efforts. The entity issues takedown notices for any prohibited material, ensuring rapid content removal and reminding all platforms of their shared responsibility in maintaining safer online spaces.
The public can report harmful and prohibited content through:
The FPB Hotline: 0800 148 148
The FPB WhatsApp Channel: 083 428 4767
By responding to the call to report harmful and prohibited content, every citizen plays a role in building a safer, more secure digital society for all South Africans.
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