This week, an expert team from Facebook will meet with leading South African and Zimbabwean representatives, civil society and experts to learn from, as well as provide practical advice in helping people to stay safe online.
As part of its mission in giving people the power to build community and bring the world closer together, the trainings and workshop sessions will be centred on creating an open dialogue in online safety, whilst highlighting the tools available to ensure people feel welcome, empowered and safe when using the platform.
As part of Facebook’s ongoing efforts in understanding and positively contributing to the African internet eco-system, the team will be working with a number of organisations including local governments, policy makers and civil society to co-host selected events in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
“We want everyone to feel safe when using Facebook,” says Emilar Gandhi, public policy manager for South Africa, Facebook. “As an open platform for ideas, and a place where self-expression, connection and sharing is encouraged, safety is at the centre of how we build our products. Protecting the privacy and safety of the people who use Facebook is at the heart of everything we do and that is why this Safety Tour is so important to us – not only to educate on the tools that we have in place, but to create open conversations.”
Calendar of events
- Safety Symposium, Johannesburg, South Africa, 14 September – Local stakeholders will gather to discuss online safety concerns as well as Facebook tools and resources to keep people, especially teens and adults safe online.
- Empowering the LGBTIQ community, Johannesburg, South Africa, 14 September - Working with a number of partner organisations and co-hosted with a non-profit organisation focusing on the LGBTIQ community, this roundtable will provide a safe space to explore issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity and online safety.
- Safety Roundtable, Harare, Zimbabwe, 15 September – Meeting with Zimbabwean policymakers this session will discuss how to drive awareness of online safety amongst the young in Zimbabwe.
- Facebook Safety for Journalists’, Zimbabwe, 15 September – Co-organised with a media NGO, this discussion and training session on safety for journalists in Harare will explore issues relevant to journalists in the country, with a special focus as part of the day on women journalists.
- Safety Open House, Cape Town, South Africa, 20 September 2017 – Co-hosted with a local crime prevention policy group, this specialist event aims to create on open forum discussing online safety.
- Women’s Luncheon, Cape Town, South Africa, 20 September 2017 – this luncheon will bring together influential women to explore issues relating to women’s online safety as well as to learn from the community.
For more information about online safety, visit the recently updated Safety Center, which walks users through the tools Facebook offers to help control experiences on the platform. Also available are numerous tips and resources for safe and secure sharing.
