Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) submitted this response to a call for input on a thematic report on freedom of expression and opinion online. The submission draws on MMA's extensive experience monitoring media and digital communications in South Africa, offering an evidence-based perspective on the challenges facing free expression in digital environments.

MMA's submission highlights the growing threats to online freedom of expression, including platform censorship, government-ordered content removal, and the chilling effects of surveillance on journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. The organisation emphasises that regulatory responses must be proportionate and rights-compliant, avoiding measures that could further restrict legitimate expression.

The submission calls for stronger international standards on transparency from digital platforms, robust appeal mechanisms for content moderation decisions, and greater accountability for both state and non-state actors who seek to restrict online expression. MMA's recommendations reflect its commitment to a free, diverse, and independent media environment in South Africa and across the continent.