Rector’s eNews 22: 30 July 2025

On Thursday last week we were privileged to welcome Emma Sadleir, the founder and CEO of the Digital Law Company, who spoke to the school in connection with the healthy use of social media and, thus, some of the difficulties which can be encountered by those who misuse or abuse this form of communication. She is widely regarded as the leading legal practitioner in South Africa in the field of digital law and you may be aware that she has recently successfully fought a major case against Meta in the Johannesburg High Court to protect the rights of children who are being exploited on social media.

Her talk was wide ranging and focused on some of the basic legal issues of which our boys need to be aware, as well as on the stance taken by the courts where some individuals have abused others on social media. She also commented on the fact that previously laws with regard to such abuse were often not pursued in the courts, but that this has changed dramatically and perpetrators of abuse can now expect to be prosecuted and attract a criminal record, as well as being sued.

It is difficult to represent all of the issues she covered in a precis of an enthralling talk lasting ninety minutes, but they included the age of criminal capacity, the fact that what goes on to the internet lasts forever and that if you pass on a message rather than deleting it you become culpable for its dissemination. She asked the boys to imagine a huge billboard on a motorway with their names and personal details on the left-hand side and every message they send on the right. That is how public what you put on the internet is.  She suggested that the boys should clean up their digital trail and be aware of potential employers researching applicants for jobs through their online personalities and that they could expect their digital content to be reviewed in all sorts of situations – for example, many universities in the USA partially assess the suitability of candidates through their digital activities.

Emma has recently written a book on this subject along with Rorke Wilson entitled How not to mess up online: a teenagers guide. I might add that this is recommended reading, not only for teenagers, but for parents and teachers. Emma naturally charges schools for her time but, when contacted by pupils in distress under the age of 18, she acts for them free of charge. Such is her desire to help support young people.

Click here to read the Rector’s eNews