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Campaign On Digital Ethics - CODE

CODE: Advocating digital rights, tech accountability, and countering disinformation.

03/05/2026

RightsCon may have been canceled, but we won't be silenced. Join , , and in commemorating World Press Freedom Day.

From gagging orders silencing South African journalists to legal frameworks being weaponised against the press, the threats to free expression are escalating. This commemoration brings together legal experts, journalists, and civil society organisations to name these threats and chart a path forward.

🗓 05 May 2026
📍 WeWork, The Link, Rosebank, Johannesburg
🕑 14:00 – 17:00

The programme includes:

📢 Panel discussions on attacks against the media and journalists in South Africa;
📢 A deep dive into Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), drawing on case studies from Kenya and South Africa, and the development of a proposed Anti-SLAPP Model Law for the African Commission; and,
📢 Quick-fire perspectives from across civil society.

This event is hosted in the context of growing regional concern, including the Zambian government's suppression of RightsCon and the broader rollback of press freedom across the African continent.

We hope to see you there.

🔗 RSVP: link in bio

PressFreedom SouthAfrica

28/04/2026

Wellness or a well-funded grift? 🧐

The industry is worth over $6 trillion, but how much of that is built on your burnout?

It’s time we outsmart the influencers and reclaim what it actually means to be well.

Drop a "🙌🏾" if you’re tired of the supplement-stack-spam!

15/04/2026

The grift is everywhere, and it's not always obvious. This week, we're pulling back the curtain on the people profiting off your clicks, your trust, and your confusion.

23/03/2026

Every creator knows the power of reach. A single post can spark a conversation, shift an opinion, build a community, or travel far beyond what you ever expected.

But influence online also comes with difficult calls: how to balance authenticity and sponsorship, how to handle misinformation, how to use AI responsibly, and how to build trust with audiences in an increasingly noisy digital world.

The Creator Code is a workshop bringing South African content creators together to talk openly about the ethics of influence online: the real decisions creators face every day, and the standards that can help protect both audiences and creators themselves.

Through this workshop, we’ll explore what responsible influence looks like in today’s creator economy, and how creators can shape a responsible digital culture built on trust and integrity.

Date: Friday, 27 March 2026
Time: 14h00 - 15h30
Venue: WeWork, The Link, Rosebank - 173 Oxford Rd
RSVP essential! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZOSe26OByiwPUX8Ephd9OOBzgHK-cSvLXj178Wv-nOqkPQQ/viewform

10/03/2026

The March edition of First Thursdays, a Quiz Night, was exactly what we hoped it would be: a room full of curious people, good questions, spirited debates, and plenty of laughs.

From digital ethics and tech accountability to constitutional trivia and internet culture, teams put their collective brains to work, and reminded us that thinking about the digital world doesn’t always have to be serious to be meaningful.

Thank you to everyone who braved the rain and brought the energy and good vibes.

First Thursdays will now be on a short autumn break, but we’ll be back soon with more conversations, ideas, and community.

See you again before long.

09/03/2026

CODE was proud to deliver a Digital Literacy for Diplomacy training session for South Africa's Heads of Mission today, in partnership with DIRCO.

The session covered:
→ Information integrity and the false information threat
→ AI literacy, from personal use to threat vector
→ How to spot deepfakes, bot accounts, and coordinated influence campaigns
→ Platform-specific risks

Equipping those who represent South Africa with the skills to navigate today's information environment is not optional. It's a matter of national interest.

26/02/2026

We talk a lot about technology. In March, we will be putting it to the test. Literally.

CODE’s First Thursdays, presents a *Quiz Night* about the world we’re all trying to make sense of: from digital ethics and tech power, to democracy and constitutional values, online culture, and everything in between.

No speeches. No panels. Just a room full of people trying to answer questions about the digital world, and how it shapes our current reality.

Bring a team, or arrive curious and join one.

📍 WeWork, The Link, Rosebank, Johannesburg
📅 5 March 2026
⏰ 18h00
💌 RSVP essential

Come ready to think, laugh, and have fun.

17/02/2026

🇿🇦 Calling all Mzansi content creators – quick one!

You spend serious time creating, editing, posting, engaging, and staying current with new tools and trends. But how often are creators actually asked what support they need?

UNESCO, through its Social Media for Peace project, wants to hear directly from South African creators through a short, anonymous survey on your real-world experiences and challenges.

It’s quick. Straightforward. Creator-focused.

The findings will shape future training and support resources.

If you’ve got 1K+ followers and you’re 18+, you’re eligible.

Have your say: link in bio!

Your voice > assumptions.

13/02/2026

February's edition of First Thursdays was a special one. We spoke about love in the age of algorithms, and the strange, funny, uncomfortable ways tech is shaping how we meet, choose, desire, and stay.

Dating apps. AI companions. Algorithmic attraction. Emotional outsourcing. All of it was on the table.

We appreciate how honest the room was. People shared real experiences, real doubts, real contradictions. No hype, no pretending — just a good, open conversation about what connection means when code sits in the middle of it.

Huge thank you to from for a thoughtful, grounded, and sharp conversation that helped us keep it real and keep it human.

Good people. Good questions. Slight existential dread. Excellent evening.

See you at the next First Thursdays!

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20/01/2026

We’re back for First Thursdays – just in time for Valentine’s Day 💘

This February, we will be asking the real questions about love in the age of algorithms.

From dating apps that monetise loneliness to AI companions designed to simulate intimacy and emotional safety, romance is no longer just personal, it’s also programmable.

Who decides who we meet and desire?
Are AI companions filling emotional gaps or deepening them?
What happens to connection when intimacy is engineered and gamified?

Join Chris Roper, Deputy CEO of Code for Africa, for a sharp conversation on dating apps, AI companions, and the re-wiring of love in the digital age.

📅 Thu, 5 Feb 2026
🕠 17h30 for 18h00
📍 WeWork, The Link, Rosebank
👉 RSVP 💌 essential, click here: https://forms.gle/Fdp5J5c38irZkFfD8

Address

173 Oxford Road
Johannesburg

Website

https://www.code-sa.org/

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