Digital networks creating 'new bureaucracy' that shapes global narratives
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has sounded the alarm over what he describes as one of the most pressing governance challenges facing the modern world — the battle for information integrity in an increasingly digital age.
Speaking at the 2026 TikTok Safer Internet Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, Morolong drew on the writings of renowned historian Yuval Harari to illustrate how social media platforms have transformed into powerful structures that govern how billions of people access and process information daily.
"Social media platforms – including TikTok – are now part of this new digital bureaucracy. They organise attention, distribute narratives, amplify voices and influence how societies understand or perceive the truth, authority and reality itself. This, therefore, makes information integrity one of the defining governance challenges of the 21st century."
The Deputy Minister cautioned that while digital platforms offer undeniable benefits in spreading knowledge, creativity and economic opportunity, they simultaneously serve as conduits for something far more harmful. He warned that misinformation, disinformation and malinformation — though different in origin — share the same corrosive effect on societies, eroding institutional trust, deepening community divisions and threatening democratic foundations.
Morolong stressed that because modern digital networks function with greater speed and reach than any communication system before them, the damage they can inflict is correspondingly more severe and unrelenting than anything previously encountered by societies worldwide.
Existing frameworks offer foundation for responsible digital governance
In addressing potential solutions, the Deputy Minister highlighted several national and regional instruments already in place. He pointed to the Government Communication and Information System's National Communication Strategy Framework 2025–2030, which prioritises coordinated, credible and citizen-focused communication across every tier of government.
"If we accept this to be true, then we should accept that information integrity is not merely a technical issue. It is a development issue. It is a governance issue. It is a democratic issue."
At a regional level, Morolong referenced the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Communications, which obliges member states to build efficient, integrated communication systems that bolster economic growth and social progress. He noted that the protocol treats communications infrastructure as a strategic asset meant to serve collective societal interests and deepen regional cooperation.
The Deputy Minister also identified three areas where platforms such as TikTok could spearhead global innovation in creating safer online environments. He was careful to distinguish between responsible oversight and the suppression of free expression, making clear that his appeal was not an endorsement of censorship but rather a demand for careful stewardship of the digital public sphere.
"We have to be deliberate and ensure we put enough guardrails, especially for the vulnerable sections of society: the elderly, the disabled and children."
Morolong's address underscored the growing consensus among African leaders that the continent must adopt a unified stance on digital governance, ensuring that rapidly evolving online networks serve the interests of humanity rather than destabilising the societies they were designed to connect.
South Africa's growing digital population faces rising exposure to misinformation that can deepen social divisions and erode trust in public institutions. For businesses reliant on digital platforms, stronger regulatory frameworks could reshape advertising and content strategies, while ordinary citizens stand to benefit from improved online safety measures. As African nations move toward coordinated digital governance, South Africa's existing policy instruments position it to play a leading role, though balancing regulation with free expression remains a delicate challenge ahead.
