Real411 is a platform developed and maintained by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) so members of the public can track their complaints easily. and provided at no cost as a service to the nation. Real411 is run in partnership with a range of key stakeholders which currently include, SANEF and the Press Council and the IABSA. Following the pilot phase additional key stakeholders will be added, and we seek to include Chapter 9 bodies, Government, and social media platforms.

Following the success of the Real411 in the elections it was clear that we needed to set up a system that would enable members of the public to report, disinformation and ensure it was addressed in an open, transparent and accountable manner within our laws and constitutional principles.

We also found that during the lead up to the elections people weren't just wanting to report disinformation but also cases of incitement and hate speech too so for the new version we have added those.

Real 411 is a further development of the highly successful Real411 piloted during South Africa national elections in 2019. Real411 now allows members of the public to report a variety of digital offences, where they will be expeditiously reviewed, assessed and action taken.

In addition, reporting online harassment of journalists and members of the public is another important element included in the system. Journalists and members of the public can report unwanted conduct that is persistent or serious and demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile or intimidating environment to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences.

Disinformation is false, inaccurate or misleading information designed, presented and promoted online to intentionally cause public harm. Harm in this regard includes, but is not limited to, generating hate speech, creating hostility or fear in order to incite violence.

Disinformation is a global challenge. Democracies are wary of limiting free speech but free speech should not incite violence. Section 16 (1) of the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to freedom of expression, subject to the following exclusions contained in section 16 (2):

  1. Propaganda for war;
  2. Incitement of imminent violence; or
  3. Advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

The Constitution is of paramount importance in guiding the work undertaken in terms of the Code of Conduct.

In terms of Section 7 of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights:

  1. Applies to all law;
  2. Binds the legislature, the executive, the judiciary and all organs of state; and
  3. Binds a natural or juristic person if, and to the extent that, it is applicable, taking into account the nature of the right and the nature of any duty imposed by the right.

Any limitation of a right contained in the Bill of Rights must comply with Section 36 of the Constitution, in terms of which the rights in the Bill of Rights may be limited only in terms of a law of general application to the extent that the limitation is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom, taking into account all relevant factors.

Real411 and the Digital Complaints Committee process is an add on the world's first initiative to combat digital disinformation.