Margaret van Wyk’s private moment was shared without consent and now, those reposting it could face criminal charges.
South Africa (25 August 2016) – Delete the post. No, seriously. Margaret van Wyk has been trending for all the wrong reasons… but what many don’t seem to realise is that resharing that image could actually land you in serious legal trouble.
Let’s be clear – the photo that’s been doing the rounds online wasn’t meant for you. It was a private message, intended for her husband, that was accidentally shared in a WhatsApp group with fellow hockey parents. One of those parents took a screenshot and posted it online, and before long, Margaret’s name was trending nationwide under the hashtag #MargaretVanWyk.
Now, here’s where it gets real.
Legal experts – like Verlie Oosthuizen from Shepstone & Wylie – are saying those who posted the image could be held legally responsible.
“I would say the people who posted it to social media do have some measure of legal liability. They’ve definitely infringed her privacy and dignity,” Oosthuizen said in an interview. “She would probably have some kind of a claim for cyber bullying… If I were in her shoes, I would lay a charge of crimen injuria against the person who first shared it.”
Yes, the further down the sharing chain you are, the weaker the legal case – but it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. And it definitely doesn’t mean it’s okay.
Even if she doesn’t take legal action, the bottom line is this: Margaret is a human being. She’s a mom. A wife. A friend. Someone who made a mistake that could’ve happened to any of us.
So please – delete the post. Delete the joke. Delete the meme.
We’ve still got a long way to go when it comes to understanding the weight of social media. But maybe this moment can be a turning point.
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Give Margaret her dignity back. It’s literally the least we can do.
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