the day arrived, the country has still not completed making, or begun distributing the set-top boxes required to decode the digital signals to about 15 million households. Disagreements among broadcasters have stalled South Africa’s digital migration process. While the desire to protect children and any move against racism is laudable, the methods to do so, chosen by the South African government are highly questionable. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ONLINE The Spectre of Internet Censorship? The South African Films and Publications Board (FPB) has put together plans to regulate the online media in the form of the Draft Online Regulation Policy which was published in the Government Gazette of 4 March 2015. The proposals put forward by the FPB are aimed at regulating the online views of bloggers and users of Twitter, Facebook, You Tube and other social media. The reason advanced by the FPB for this 60 So This is Democracy? 2015 move is to ensure that children are protected from exposure to disturbing and harmful content and premature exposure to adult experiences, as well as the advocacy of racist ideologies. While the desire to protect children and any move against racism is laudable, the methods to do so, chosen by the South African government are highly questionable. The FPB states that for all intents and purposes, “content” includes films, games, “certain publications” – not defined but presumed to cover anything that a blogger or user posts online – and self-generated content uploaded or posted on social media platforms. Although the South African Press Council is broadening its scope to include websites and other online media, there are concerns among freedom of expression organisations about the parallel plans of the South African Films and Publications Board (FPB) to regulate the online media because they fear it could result in restraints on freedom of expression. The Board has accepted the proposals of the Press Council but is persisting with its plans to regulate those online sites that do not take advantage of the Press Council offer. The Film and Publications Board’s Draft Online Regulation Policy document was gazetted 4 March 2015. In August 2015, the South African Cabinet approved the submission of the Films and Publications Amendment Bill which is guided by the policy. Many South African freedom of expression organisations have criticised the proposed policies which they claim they are unconstitutional, in conflict with other laws, poorly drafted, vague, too far reaching in scope, difficult to interpret and unworkable.