Online safety in South Africa - A cause for growing concern

We live in a technology-driven world, where information communication technology (ICT) is increasingly affordable, obtainable and accessible to all technology users, especially to school learners. Information communication technologies (ICTs) include a wide range of devices such as mobile phones, internet access, tablets and desktops. More and more school learners are exposed to ICT devices at school, at home and among friends. Besides being used for social purposes, these devices greatly assist school learners with education. However, a number of disadvantages in the form of risks and threats also prevail if learners do not protect themselves and their personal information. ICT or online risks are a cause for growing concern, and awareness and education are urgently required to ensure that school learners understand the risks and threats and how to avoid them. A number of countries have already started to focus on online safety, but South Africa is numbered among those that are falling behind. This paper investigates the current online safety situation of high school learners in South Africa. A number of short- and long-term initiatives are proposed for incorporating online safety into the school environment in an effort to improve online safety among school learners in South Africa.