By Danny Hlapolosa – Candidate Legal Practitioner &
Keegan Stroebel – Administrator
In a major South African win for child safety online, The Digital Law Company (DLC) has secured a landmark court order against tech giant Meta, owner of Instagram and WhatsApp.
Following repeated alerts and public outcry, DLC turned to the High Court of South Africa Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg to file an urgent application to protect children, families, and educators vulnerable to unchecked digital abuse.
DLC sought Meta to take immediate action against the spread of explicit, harmful content involving South African schoolchildren.
The case emerged after a wave of deeply disturbing material, including alleged child pornography, graphic videos of minors, and defamatory claims about children’s health statuses, was found circulating on Meta platforms. Investigators uncovered over 30 (thirty) Instagram accounts and 6 (six) WhatsApp channels broadcasting this content. Shockingly, many posts identified the children by name and mentioned their schools, intensifying the trauma inflicted.
On 18 July 2025, the court granted a consent order that sets a groundbreaking precedent in South African digital and legal history. Under the order, Meta is now legally obligated to undertake three critical interventions:
- Permanent Removal of Harmful Content
Meta must permanently delete, as far as technically feasible, all Instagram accounts and WhatsApp Channels reported by The DLC. This action is intended to immediately eliminate public access to exploitative and abusive material and to prevent further harm.
- Disclosure of Subscriber Information
Meta is also compelled to provide identifying subscriber information for over 60 (sixty) offending accounts. This disclosure enables victims and their families to pursue legal redress and holds perpetrators accountable through proper judicial channels.
- Establishment of a Dedicated Hotline
A direct, two-year hotline will be created between the DLC and Meta. Its purpose is to fast-track urgent child protection reports and ensure they receive swift and appropriate action. The hotline is designed to prevent future cases from slipping through the cracks.
This is believed to be the first time in South African legal history that a global technology company has agreed, in writing and under court order, to such wide-reaching obligations. Experts have hailed the ruling as a turning point in how tech giants are held accountable under domestic laws, particularly when it comes to children’s rights and digital harm.
The Need for Public Interface and Systemic Support
While the hotline is a crucial tool for expedited response, we do recommend the formation of an independent interface body, tasked with managing public reports and coordinating with the hotline. This would help prevent overload on DLC resources and ensure all reported incidents are handled with urgency and care.
Acknowledging Leadership in Digital Justice
This victory could not have been achieved without the remarkable leadership and advocacy of Emma Sadleir, whose tireless efforts have helped bring this crisis to light and push for tangible accountability from one of the world’s largest tech companies.
Emma’s swift legal action and unwavering dedication have already yielded meaningful progress. Her work affirms the power of legal advocacy in protecting vulnerable communities in the digital age. Her efforts set a precedent and send a resounding message: the rights and dignity of our children are non-negotiable, not to perpetrators, and not to the platforms that enable them.
Well done, Emma. Thank you. We stand with you.