Sexual content solicited from school children
A court has also ordered Meta the parent company of both platforms to identify the individuals responsible for creating and operating these accounts.
With the rapid expansion of digital technologies, online child exploitation and abuse have increased dramatically.
Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, says authorities are actively monitoring the situation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Why KT Molefe wants bail
Here's your daily news update for Wednesday, 6 August 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes controversial businessman Katiso 'KT' Molefe insists that being charged with murder should not automatically disqualify him from being granted bail. Meanwhile, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says he plans to meet with the Independent Development Trust (IDT) board following allegations that the entity's suspended CEO, Tebogo Malaka, attempted to bribe a journalist. Furthermore, Gayton McKenzie, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and current Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, has vowed to take legal action against the Open Chats Podcast after a viral clip surfaced showing its hosts making derogatory and racist comments about the coloured community in South Africa. Weather tomorrow: 7 August 2025 Saws has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms in parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, with risks of flooding, hail, and wind damage. Cold weather with scattered showers is expected across most provinces, with light snow possible in high-lying northern areas until Friday. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. DJ Sumbody murder: Here's why Katiso 'KT' Molefe thinks he should get bail Controversial businessman Katiso 'KT' Molefe insists that being charged with murder should not automatically disqualify him from being granted bail. Molefe appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for his formal bail application. Controversial businessman Katiso Molefe appears for bail application at the Alexandra Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on 6 August 2025. Picture: Nigel Sibanda /The Citizen The alleged mastermind was arrested alongside three hitmen in connection with the murder of South African artist Oupa John Sefoka, widely known as DJ Sumbody. CONTINUE READING: DJ Sumbody murder: Here's why Katiso 'KT' Molefe thinks he should get bail New roles for Joburg leaders as Dada Morero reshuffles his mayoral committee Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero is set to restructure his mayoral committee The Citizen has reliably learnt that Morero has decided on Loyiso Masuku as the MMC for Finance. Johannesburg City Council meeting at the Connie Bapela House in Braamfontein. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen Masuku previously occupied the position of MMC for Group Corporate & Shared Services. CONTINUE READING: New roles for Joburg leaders as Dada Morero reshuffles his mayoral committee Macpherson breaks silence on IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka bribery attempt Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says he plans to meet with the Independent Development Trust (IDT) board following allegations that the entity's suspended CEO, Tebogo Malaka, attempted to bribe a journalist. On Wednesday, news publication Daily Maverick released video footage of a meeting between Malaka, IDT spokesperson Phasha Makgolane, and journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Picture: Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu The meeting reportedly took place over the weekend, on 3 August, at a restaurant near Stellenbosch, Western Cape. CONTINUE READING: Macpherson breaks silence on IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka bribery attempt Lesufi suspends two community safety officials amid financial irregularities probe Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has suspended the provincial community safety head of department (HOD), Nontsikelelo Sisulu, and the department's chief financial officer, Mduduzi Malope. The duo was suspended with immediate effect on Tuesday, 5 August 2025. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. Photo: The Citizen/Nigel Sibanda Lesufi explained that the suspensions are a precautionary measure to ensure fair and unbiased investigations. CONTINUE READING: Lesufi suspends two community safety officials amid financial irregularities probe 'It's racism' – Gayton McKenzie plans legal action against Open Chats podcast Gayton McKenzie, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and current Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, has vowed to take legal action against the Open Chats Podcast after a viral clip surfaced showing its hosts making derogatory and racist comments about the coloured community in South Africa. In the video, the podcasters claimed that coloured families engage in incest and described the community as 'crazy'. Minister Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais The remarks have sparked public outrage, prompting political leaders, civil society and ordinary citizens to demand accountability and legal barriers. CONTINUE READING: 'It's racism' – Gayton McKenzie plans legal action against Open Chats podcast Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Fuel price drop | Tariffs could hike Shein prices | Antony Hamilton and Vusi Nova collab?
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
WhatsApp is curbing scam networks by banning millions of malicious accounts
Masabata Mkwananzi | Published 1 hour ago WhatsApp has ramped up its global efforts to combat criminal scam networks, removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to safeguard users from fraud and deception. The tech giant revealed that over the past six months, it proactively identified and banned more than 6.8 million accounts tied to criminal scam syndicates. These swift actions halted scammers before they could roll out their fraudulent schemes, safeguarding millions of users from potential harm. In 2023, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. On June 7, she revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that both she and a friend lost thousands of rand after a scammer took over the WhatsApp account of a mutual friend to trick them. 'He was pretending to be that friend. It was only when the scammer became so greedy and brazen that my son and I figured out the scam and warned other friends. WhatsApp ID theft or hacking is real,' she tweeted. WhatsApp highlighted that scammers usually work from criminal scam centres running various schemes simultaneously, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and pyramid schemes. They often ask for upfront payments to guarantee returns, which serves as a major warning sign. These scams start on platforms like dating apps or through texts, then shift to social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp, and finally to payment or crypto platforms. 'This multi-platform approach is designed to evade detection by individual services, making comprehensive disruption more challenging.' Kojo Boakye, Meta's Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Türkiye, highlighted that combating scams is an ongoing challenge. He stated that they are continuously improving their security measures to stay one step ahead of malicious actors. "This is part of our unwavering commitment to protect our users, not just by banning malicious accounts, but by empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to recognise and avoid these sophisticated threats. We believe that a safer messaging environment is built through a combination of robust technology, proactive detection, and user education," he said. The company also highlighted a recent example of cross-industry teamwork, where WhatsApp, Meta, and OpenAI worked together to dismantle a scam ring based in Cambodia. The group exploited ChatGPT to craft initial messages that guided victims to WhatsApp, before swiftly shifting them to Telegram. There, victims were instructed to like videos on TikTok and were ultimately pressured into depositing funds into cryptocurrency accounts. In light of emerging threats, WhatsApp is introducing new anti-scam tools alongside its efforts to dismantle scam operations. These features are specifically designed to defend users against common scam techniques: Group Messaging: A new safety overview will now appear when a user is added to an unfamiliar group by someone not in their contacts. This overview provides key group information and safety tips, allowing users to exit the group without viewing the chat. Notifications from such groups will be silenced until the user explicitly chooses to engage. Individual Messaging: WhatsApp is testing new approaches to caution users before they engage with unknown contacts. This includes providing additional context about the sender when initiating a chat with someone not in their contacts, enabling users to make informed decisions. Furthermore, WhatsApp encourages users to adopt a 'Pause, Question, Verify' approach when faced with suspicious messages. The strategy includes taking a moment to assess the sender's identity, questioning the legitimacy of the request, and verifying the information through alternate communication channels. Late last year, in 2024, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) issued a warning to the public about fraudulent WhatsApp messages circulating across the country. The Department of Social Development entity cautioned people to be vigilant against fake messages containing Sassa OTP codes sent through WhatsApp. Sassa clarified that it does not send OTP codes for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant via WhatsApp, and they urged anyone receiving such messages to be wary, as these are likely scams.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
WhatsApp is curbing scam networks by banning millions of malicious accounts
WhatsApp is removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to fight fraud and deception. Image: Freepik WhatsApp has ramped up its global efforts to combat criminal scam networks, removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to safeguard users from fraud and deception. The tech giant revealed that over the past six months, it proactively identified and banned more than 6.8 million accounts tied to criminal scam syndicates. These swift actions halted scammers before they could roll out their fraudulent schemes, safeguarding millions of users from potential harm. In 2023, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. On June 7, she revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that both she and a friend lost thousands of rand after a scammer took over the WhatsApp account of a mutual friend to trick them. 'He was pretending to be that friend. It was only when the scammer became so greedy and brazen that my son and I figured out the scam and warned other friends. WhatsApp ID theft or hacking is real,' she tweeted. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ WhatsApp highlighted that scammers usually work from criminal scam centres running various schemes simultaneously, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and pyramid schemes. They often ask for upfront payments to guarantee returns, which serves as a major warning sign. These scams start on platforms like dating apps or through texts, then shift to social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp, and finally to payment or crypto platforms. 'This multi-platform approach is designed to evade detection by individual services, making comprehensive disruption more challenging.' Kojo Boakye, Meta's Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Türkiye, highlighted that combating scams is an ongoing challenge. He stated that they are continuously improving their security measures to stay one step ahead of malicious actors. "This is part of our unwavering commitment to protect our users, not just by banning malicious accounts, but by empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to recognise and avoid these sophisticated threats. We believe that a safer messaging environment is built through a combination of robust technology, proactive detection, and user education," he said. The company also highlighted a recent example of cross-industry teamwork, where WhatsApp, Meta, and OpenAI worked together to dismantle a scam ring based in Cambodia. The group exploited ChatGPT to craft initial messages that guided victims to WhatsApp, before swiftly shifting them to Telegram. There, victims were instructed to like videos on TikTok and were ultimately pressured into depositing funds into cryptocurrency accounts. In light of emerging threats, WhatsApp is introducing new anti-scam tools alongside its efforts to dismantle scam operations. These features are specifically designed to defend users against common scam techniques: Group Messaging: A new safety overview will now appear when a user is added to an unfamiliar group by someone not in their contacts. This overview provides key group information and safety tips, allowing users to exit the group without viewing the chat. Notifications from such groups will be silenced until the user explicitly chooses to engage. Individual Messaging: WhatsApp is testing new approaches to caution users before they engage with unknown contacts. This includes providing additional context about the sender when initiating a chat with someone not in their contacts, enabling users to make informed decisions. Furthermore, WhatsApp encourages users to adopt a 'Pause, Question, Verify' approach when faced with suspicious messages. The strategy includes taking a moment to assess the sender's identity, questioning the legitimacy of the request, and verifying the information through alternate communication channels. Late last year, in 2024, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) issued a warning to the public about fraudulent WhatsApp messages circulating across the country. The Department of Social Development entity cautioned people to be vigilant against fake messages containing Sassa OTP codes sent through WhatsApp. Sassa clarified that it does not send OTP codes for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant via WhatsApp, and they urged anyone receiving such messages to be wary, as these are likely scams. The Social Security Agency (SASSA) issued a warning about fraudulent WhatsApp messages. Image: Screenshot. Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. Image: Screenshot.
