In the media

The lawsuit, filed on 23 January 2026 in South Carolina, follows an incident in which a woman, identified as Jane Doe, posted a fully clothed photograph of herself on X. Other users subsequently prompted Grok, an AI chatbot developed by xAI, to manipulate the image into a sexualised deepfake. The altered image circulated publicly for several days before being removed.

In South Africa, civil society organisation Moxii Africa (formerly Media Monitoring Africa), issued a letter of demand to X and various government departments, noting that Grok’s undress features violate constitutional rights to dignity and privacy.

18 January 2026, William Bird, Daily Maverick

Media Monitoring Africa’s William Bird also responded by saying the commission must carefully balance public transparency with witness protection, acknowledging the minister’s.

Journalists in South Africa face an increasing risk to both their physical safety and professional integrity.

William Bird, director of Moxii Africa, and Makhudu Sefara, chairperson of Sanef, led both delegations as they handed over the Declaration.

The M20 Johannesburg Declaration is a document produced through extensive consultations led by Media Monitoring Africa and the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF).

Significantly, for us at Moxii Africa (we are rebranding from Media Monitoring Africa — MMA) are the recommendations on addressing and mitigating online harms and misinformation and disinformation.

Significantly, for us at Moxii Africa (we are rebranding from Media Monitoring Africa — MMA) are the recommendations on addressing and mitigating online harms and misinformation and disinformation.

Ahead of last year's elections – which saw the ANC lose its majority for the first time in three decades – Google and Meta partnered with Africa Check and Media Monitoring Africa to tackle election misinformation.

We, the undersigned organisations, express our deep concern over the disappearance of freelance journalist Hans Achomba since November 5, 2025. To date, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Media Monitoring Africa is now Moxii Africa. The name Moxii is a derivative of moxie, which is the trait of showing innovation and courage.

“Sanef, Media Monitoring Africa, and others have not commented on those incidents. They have been selective, which undermines credibility,” he said.

He later confirmed a new plan to extend the deadline to 31 March 2025, but the Pretoria High Court also blocked this just before its implementation.

It is precisely because of these multiple crises that Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) got together last year to look at how.

It is precisely because of these multiple crises that Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) got together last year to look at how.

Civil society will need to keep applying pressure to the minister and Parliament to act urgently and in the public interest and develop a SABC Bill that is fit for purpose and in.

Earlier in the year, Media Monitoring Africa’s William Bird said the risk of a blackout was due to the government “actively defunding” the public broadcaster.

The M20 Summit was organised by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), ahead of the 2025 South African G20 Summit meeting on 22-23.