SJD1501
Assignment
7 Semester 1
2024
(643355) -
DUE 9 June
2024
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS
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SJD1501 Assignment 7 Semester 1 2024 (643355) - DUE 9
June 2024
1.1 What is the impact of social media on the constitutional right to privacy?
Social media embodies a large group of South African subscribers who are affected by
content that may violate their fundamental right to privacy. Social media infringes the rights
of users through hacking. Users who are experienced in information technology and web
development have found ways to hack into people’s social media accounts to tarnish their
honourable reputations or to permanently deactivate their accounts and this includes posting
their nudes or false information about them. With hacking, hackers use software and apps to
track subscribers’ passwords by just capturing personal information that they signed up into
their social media accounts.
Algorithm programming is also another way social media affects the privacy of a person. An
algorithm programming is an approach that computer scientists use for cyber problem-
solving. It is also used by social media technicians to track data on social media and
everything you search on social media is data stored and will later influence online adverts to
appear on your timeline; which correlate with the items you searched. This is a serious
infringement of privacy because this means someone out there can navigate into your account
and see the items you search for on social media.
Third-party companies and agencies that specialize in online purchases are also given a
gateway to navigate into your social media account to verify your detail and determine
credibility. Some subscribers abuse their freedom to share contact details of other users which
could put their lives at risk to be abducted and human trafficked.
Social media and its security undermine Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights and since these social
media platforms are foreign, international platforms, their managers and coordinators need to
start looking into South African laws that exist to protect South African social media users
from the cyber invasion of privacy.
1.2. What is the impact of social media on the constitutional right to Freedom of
expression?
In social media, the right to freedom of expression is abused and its limitations are also
overlooked by the users. Users abuse the fundamental right by expressing their views in form
of graphics for example, <memes’ and by typing down opinions that may be offensive. One
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individual I can use as an example of someone who has suffered having to experience people
negatively exercising their freedom of expression upon him is our president, Cyril
Ramaphosa. Memes were created to bully him and harass them to express their dissatisfaction
with his service as a president. This level of bullying is clear proof that provisions of the Bill
of Rights aren’t being met and acknowledged.
The fundamental right to freedom of expression grants you the ability to express your opinion
and to share information, of which some information can be disturbing and offensive. To
some extent, the information may be falsified and misleading to the readers and
unfortunately, social media coordinators have still not managed to meet the provisions of the
South African constitution by doing a thorough investigation of shared content and
determining its legitimacy through standard verification.
1.3. What is the impact of social media on racism?
From my observation, racism isn’t much tolerated on social media and I believe that is
because users are in full understanding of the implications that come with unfairly
discriminating against a person’s racial orientation. However, there have been several
occasions where racist content was shared on social media such as a video of a white student
from Stellenbosch University urinating on a black student’s possessions. It’s a complex case
really and can’t be proven beyond reasonable doubt that it was racist behaviour and stands a
chance of being justified to be rather harassment.
Social media coordinators have also implemented cyber community standards that would
make it easy for users to report any posted content that is linked to racism. Some
organizations have worked tirelessly to raise awareness about racism and how it can be
eradicated on social media. Content creators and artists have also made great use of the online
platform by posting videos of themselves educating users about racism, and how it
contributes to mental illness and its history.
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