Meta to Expose Owners of Teen Revenge Porn Accounts in South Africa
Social media giant Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp and Instagram, has agreed to unmask the individuals behind accounts responsible for distributing revenge porn involving minors in South Africa. This significant move follows a high-stakes legal battle, marking a critical step towards holding users accountable for cyberbullying and the non-consensual sharing of private images on its popular platforms. The decision directly addresses growing concerns from parents, teachers, and youth groups over the safety of young users in the country’s rapidly expanding digital landscape.
Legal Pressure Targets Malicious “Shaderoom” Channels
The action was prompted by a troubling trend where South African teenagers created “shaderoom” channels on WhatsApp and Instagram. Initially known for celebrity gossip, these digital spaces were weaponized to expose personal secrets and share private photos and videos of peers without consent. This fostered a toxic culture of public humiliation and intense cyberbullying, which disproportionately targeted teenage girls. In response, the Digital Law Company filed an application on July 14 with the Gauteng High Court, seeking to hold Meta in contempt of court for its initial failure to provide information on the culprits. The court subsequently ordered Meta not only to provide the account holders’ details but also to shut down and permanently disable the harmful channels.
This court-mandated cooperation from Meta sets a powerful precedent for digital safety and platform accountability in South Africa. By compelling the tech giant to release user information in cases of severe harm like revenge porn, the ruling reinforces that online anonymity cannot be used as a shield for illegal and damaging behaviour. The outcome is a significant victory for digital rights advocates and offers a new layer of protection for vulnerable teens navigating the complexities of social media, sending a clear message that cyberbullying has real-world consequences.
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