Parents need government’s help in protecting children against online abuse, this is the view of Communication’s Minister Faith Muthambi.

Speaking at the Film and Publication Board’s (FPB) Media Content Classification and Online Protection Conference in Johannesburg on Monday, Muthambi said that most of the time, parents are not even aware of their children’s online activity.

“…. during the Draft Online Policy Public consultation process, there were stronger views that dictating what children may view and do online is a parent's job, as government we hold a view that whilst that may be true, it is not all parents who are able to do so,” she said.

“In fact most parents are completely unaware of their children's online activities, hence government cannot abdicate its responsibilities to protect the children of this country.”

FPB is hosting a three-day conference which is aimed at discussing and finding solutions around online child abuse and pornography.

Speaking in support of the Draft Online Regulations Policy - which has so far received a lot of backlash - Muthambi said the policy was born upon realisation that there is a strong need to protect children from online predators.

“Recent studies conducted by the FPB have shown that when it comes to child pornography, child exploitation and child trafficking, paedophiles and sex rings target countries where there is less enforcement or less penalties for these offences,” she said.

Muthambi said that the FPB will also need to look into regulating children’s access to the internet as this also adds to the increasing child pornographic risk.