UNESCO published new research on September 1, 2026 about the opportunities, practices and support needs of digital content creators in South Africa. The study, titled Behind the Screens in South Africa, was conducted by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change with support from UNESCO's Social Media 4 Peace project.
The research draws on a nationwide survey of 48 creators and in-depth interviews with 11 creators. UNESCO reports that 43.8% of surveyed creators use mainstream news media as a primary information source, while 36% do not systematically verify information before sharing it and 34% use likes and views as a credibility signal.
Training gaps were prominent in the sample. UNESCO says 10.4% had received media and information literacy training, 50% had no journalism training or background, and 87% wanted training on ethics and freedom of expression. The report also found that only 33% consistently disclose their use of generative AI to audiences.
Online harms were another major finding. In the study sample, 75% reported experiencing or witnessing technology-facilitated gender-based violence, 72% reported experiencing or witnessing xenophobia online, and 43% reported identity-based hate speech or harassment. These percentages describe the surveyed creators and should not be treated as estimates for every South African creator.
UNESCO recommends creator-focused media literacy programmes, practical guidance on ethical AI use, peer-learning networks, stronger support for online harms and wellbeing, more creator participation in platform governance, and accessible information about relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. AfroStream checked the UNESCO announcement and linked report on September 9, 2026.