Thandi Smith

@Billbobbird @SAEditorsForum @PressCouncil_SA @AfricaCheck @moxiiafrica @IECSouthAfrica Thanks for clearing up any potential misinformation! 😄

Also my amazing colleague @thandismith was wide awake and focused ! Not as I showed her in previous image! @SAEditorsForum @PressCouncil_SA @AfricaCheck @thandismith @moxiiafrica @IECSouthAfrica

Tomorrow at the Constitutional Hill, during the Human Rights Festival, a powerful new partnership will be launching. Protecting elections. Defending information integrity. Moxii Africa, Africa Check, and SANEF are launching the Partnership on Information Integrity in Elections (PIIE) — a coalition committed to safeguarding South Africa’s democracy. Following a surge in digital threats during the 2024 elections, PIIE brings organisations together to ensure voters are informed, not misled — especially as we approach the 2026 Local Government Elections. Why join? -Strengthen information integrity - Amplify impact through collaboration - Reduce duplication and improve coordination - Contribute to protecting democracy Time ⏲️: 14:30 – 16:00 (90 Minutes) Location 📍: Human Rights Festival – Con Hill

Engaging discussions on harmful online content & identifying & combatting it at today’s Social Media 4 Peace (SM4P) workshop in Johannesburg.

Is there a live stream link? @SABCNews @Newzroom405 @eNCA

RT @MediaMattersZA: INTODUCING : Safeguarding the Frontlines - A digital security toolkit for activists and human rights defenders🗞️ Publi…

Striving for Open and Trusted Information. @MediaMattersZA, now Moxii Africa. Read more about our bold new brand: moxiiafrica.org

Joburg! See you tonight, People’s Theatre at Joburg Theatre, 5.30pm for 6pm. I’m speaking on the future of media in South Africa. RSVP here shorturl.at/49ySF

A Media Freedom Festival first! Reporters Slam - looking forward to a fantastic evening

Tomorrow it's all coming together at the Media Freedom Festival🎙️🗞️ A powerful lineup of speakers will open the Media Freedom Festival 2025, setting the stage for meaningful dialogues under the theme: Resilient Media For A Resilient Democracy: Navigating the Future of Information!! Don’t miss the conversations that matter — RSVP now : ow.ly/Rqif50X5shI

Day 1 of the Media Freedom Festival 2025 : 📅 14 October | 12:00 PM 📍 Peoples Theatre, Cnr Hoofd Street, Johannesburg, GP, 2001 Unpacking the G20 – What’s Really at Stake, and Why Should You Care? It’s been the year of the G20 in South Africa with governments, civil society, and businesses all gearing up for the summit in November. Media issues remain off the formal G20 agenda. With the US stepping back from the table, the spotlight is on the Global South to ask tough questions: - What does the G20 truly mean for us? - Does it address the realities we face in the Global South? - And how can we push for media freedom, digital rights, and information integrity to take center stage? RSVP TODAY: ow.ly/GNFF50X6YGb #MFF25

🗞️✨ Media Freedom Festival 2025 is here! Resilient Media For A Resilient Democracy: Navigating the Future of Information 📍 Johannesburg | The People's Theatre 📅 Oct 14–16 🎤 Panels, performances & powerful conversations. 🔗 RSVP HERE: ow.ly/Rqif50X5shI #MediaFreedom25 #MFF2025

Day 1 of the Media Freedom Festival 2025 : Afternoon sessions🗞️ 📅15 October | 14:00 PM |📍 Peoples Theatre, Cnr Hoofd Street, Johannesburg, GP, 2001 Workshop: From Myth to Hate Busting – Practical Lessons in Combating Hate Speech Online In today’s highly connected world, hate speech continues to spread rapidly, disproportionately affecting young people and marginalized communities. This workshop, “Empowering Youth: Critical Media Literacy to Combat Hate Speech,” is an essential step in addressing both online and offline hate. The session will equip the youth organizations with fostering resilience and critical media literacy, this workshop strengthens the collective fight against hate and promotes safer, more inclusive spaces for all. RSVP: ow.ly/sqZx50X7Gou

Last session for #MFF25 Day 1!!🗞️ 📅 15 October | 18:00 PM |📍 Peoples Theatre, Cnr Hoofd Street, Johannesburg, GP, 2001 Session: Exploring the Legal Boundaries of Freedom of Expression – Rate the Hate Challenge. This session takes a critical look at the legal dimensions of freedom of expression. Through the ‘Rate the Hate’ challenge, participants will engage with the moral and legal dilemmas surrounding free speech, sparking thoughtful discussion on how to balance rights with responsibility. Read more: ow.ly/tGQs50X7GA6

I’m giving the keynote at the Media Freedom Festival this week. Attend the festival and see the program here shorturl.at/ULpf1

Participants then explored strategies for combating hate speech, genocidal ideologies, misinformation & disinformation, guided by @ThandiSmith of Media Monitoring Africa (#MMA). The session stressed the dangers of harmful narratives and the role of youth in countering them. Later, a session on using #media and #AI in advancing #TJ & Peacebuilding, led by @DavidKabwa, showed how digital tools can drive awareness, amplify youth voices and strengthen peace efforts across Africa. #AU4Peace #Youth4Peace #AUTJP #YouthLeadership #Reconciliation

M20 POLICY BRIEF | Power, Politics, and Economics - AI, Africa & the G20 This piece offers recommendations to @G20SouthAfrica regarding the capacitation & recognition of media as AI governance watchdogs. Read the brief here bit.ly/3IIYfpS @MediaMattersZA

LIVE NOW : Summit on Disinformation and its Impact on Human Rights 📆 Thandi Smith MMA’s Head of programmes is presenting with Tina Power from @altadvisory on human rights and disinformation at @SAHRCommission . This two day program brings together national and international partners, including human rights institutions from across Africa and beyond, to reflect on the growing threat posed by disinformation to constitutional rights, democratic participation, access to services and social cohesion. #Disinformation #HumanRights

It’s been a busy first quarter of 2025 for us at MMA! Here are some of the latest highlights #media #mediafreedom #access #digitalrights

Protect the child, Report on the issue❗ Media plays a crucial role in how society understands and addresses child sexual abuse, and therefore requires extreme care, compassion, and adherence to ethical and legal standards. Media Monitoring Africa calls on journalists and media outlets to uphold the highest standards of responsible reporting when covering cases of child sexual abuse. Sensationalized or insensitive reporting not only retraumatizes survivors but can also compromise their safety, dignity, and legal protections.🗞️ Read more: ow.ly/Mv8l50VrtIU #ReportingOnChildren #ResponsibleJournalism #ChildSexualAbuse