Social media law expert warns parents to check kids' WhatsAp
Opening up your child to any online communication can be dangerous...
There's no guarantee that your child is safe when you drop them at school, just like there are no guarantees that they are safe using social media while under your roof.
Social media law expert Emma Sadleir, founder of The Digital Law Company, recently posted an urgent message for parents whose kids are active on social media, particularly WhatsApp. Sadleir said that parents need to check and monitor the WhatsApp Channels their kids are following.
She explained that they planned to meet with advocates to bring court action against the culprits behind an illicit and destructive circulation of information sent over WhatsApp.
Since there is no limit to the number of users joining a WhatsApp Channel, they found that some harmful channels reached up to 20,000 users. The fear is that kids are joining these channels without understanding the consequences.
Content that has been shared on these channels includes child sexual abuse images, child pornography, defamation, crimen injuria, sharing personal information, and social media handles.
Parents can check their children's WhatsApp by clicking on 'Updates' and monitor the channels they are following. According to Sadleir, there has been a rise in the harmful dissemination of content around South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg.
"Please report any illegal content you see. Do not save or disseminate any of the content you come across," she says.
Listen to her warning below from Instagram.
Tune in to the 'Workzone with Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp', weekdays from 09:00 - 12:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.
Listen to Jacaranda FM:
- 94.2
- Jacaranda FM App
- http://jacarandafm.com
- DStv 858/ OpenView 602
Image Courtesy of iStock