Social networking company MXit will ban people who abuse its systems, as it seeks to crack down on cyber crime committed through its portals.
MXit is SA's third most popular networking tool, and the most popular locally-based offering, with 19 million customers on the continent, of which 15 million are in SA. It is a free mobile messaging service that allows people to chat.
Herman Heunis, CEO and founder, says about 0.1% of its user base, or about 19 000 people, have been abusing the system by posting explicit or offensive material. From now on, the company will simply ban these people without warning.
The tool has been in the news several times since its launch in May 2005, as it has often been used by paedophiles to lure teenage girls to meet with them. “From day one, you get people who will abuse anything,” notes Heunis.
He says the snapping point behind the company's decision to start banning people came when it launched a chess game last week. Heunis explains that one person had obscene comments as part of his profile.
However, MXit is not trying to crack down on freedom of expression. “What people send to each other is none of my business.”
Heunis explains that: “Until very recently, we had great difficulty in identifying and tracking these degenerates, but - with new developments - we are now in a situation where they leave a definite electronic footprint.”
This makes it possible to clean up the user base and get rid of people who are “not wanted on our platform”.
Difficult task
Heunis says the company will tackle cyber crime in-house, before contemplating forming alliances with other social networking sites to clean up the Web.
However, he says it will report any suspicious behaviour that could indicate possible criminal intention to the Cybercrime Unit of the South African Police Service, which is a legal requirement.
Heunis is also prepared to collaborate with international initiatives to crack down on cyber crime. However, he adds, it is difficult to identify perpetrators as they tend to use aliases.
MWeb's recent Friendship 2.0 survey revealed almost half of the respondents to the survey feel vulnerable to abuse by sharing their personal details online, while 21% had experienced a breach of their privacy on the Internet.
The survey found Facebook is the dominant social networking platform, with 82% of people surveyed using the service. Behind Facebook comes YouTube at 32%, then MXit at 29%, with Twitter trailing at 28%.
HawksspokesmanMusa Zondi says it is difficult to trace the perpetrators of cyber crime as they tend to make use of Internet caf'es from which to do their dirty work. He points out that it is easier to trace the initial location back to a hard drive.
Steven Ambrose, MD of World Wide Worx Strategy, expects other social networking systems to follow in MXit's footsteps. He says as these tools mature, so will the checks and balances.
However, he adds that, while it is a positive step forward, “danger is always lurking”. Ambrose reiterates warnings that parents should not allow their children unfettered access to the Internet and cellphone applications.
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