De Lille stands by regulation call for Mxit

De Lille\'s latest statement, posted on her party\'s Web site, follows another several days ago, in which she asked government to urgently regulate Mxit and Internet blogging, notes a report on the ITWeb site. Her statements do not mean she is against freedom of speech, or wants to limit freedom of choice, she points out. ‘However, this country still has a very fragile social fabric and these technologies, if not used responsibly, will tear that apart.’ SA has one of the highest incidents of rape and sexual abuse of minors in the world, with incidents of rape, drug-related crimes and indecent assault all being closely related, she adds. Mxit brand manager Laura Hallam says the instant messaging service takes the safety of its users very seriously and there is a safety policy that is communicated ‘through every available channel, and each and every time a user enters a chatroom’. The key to safety in chatrooms is anonymity – keeping personal information private, she notes. Full ITWeb report ID Web site