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COM3712 Assignment 2 Semester 1 2026 (Answer Guide) – Due 17
April 2026
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2026
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 2
2. THE FIVE KEY STEPS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS .......................................................................... 3
2.1 Context Assessment .................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Problem Identification: Policy Questions and Objectives .................................................. 4
2.3 Theoretical Analysis and Policy Adequacy Assessment ................................................... 5
2.4 Evaluation Criteria and Recommendations............................................................................ 5
2.5 Assessment of Advantages, Disadvantages and Alternative Recommendations ....... 6
3. UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL INEQUALITY VERSUS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ............................ 7
4. KEY ISSUES FOR DIGITAL MEDIA POLICY AND REGULATION .............................................. 9
5. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................... 12
6. LIST OF SOURCES CONSULTED .................................................................................................. 14
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1. INTRODUCTION
This assignment presents a formal policy analysis in response to a draft digital
communication policy published for public comment by the Department of
Communications and Digital Technologies in conjunction with ICASA. The submission is
prepared from the perspective of Digital Justice South Africa (DJSA), a civil society
organisation committed to promoting digital rights, online freedom, equitable access to
digital technologies, and the protection of fundamental constitutional rights in the digital
sphere.
The draft policy under consideration addresses two key areas: digital platform content
moderation and the digitisation of government services. While these objectives aim to
respond to concerns regarding online harms and digital transformation, the policy has
generated significant debate among stakeholders, particularly regarding issues of digital
inequality, regulatory overreach, and insufficient contextualisation within South African
socio-economic realities.
This assignment will examine the draft policy using a structured policy analysis
framework. Firstly, it will describe the five key steps for conducting policy analysis,
drawing on the theoretical guidance provided in sub-unit 3.2 and Hanberger (2001).
Secondly, it will critically examine the distinction between the “digital divide” and broader
digital inequality, highlighting why a narrow understanding of access alone is insufficient
in the South African context. Thirdly, the assignment will explore key complexities
surrounding digital media policy and regulation, including platform governance,
jurisdictional challenges, and the global influence of regulatory models from the Global
North. Finally, the conclusion will summarise the main analytical arguments and reflect
on the broader implications for democratic participation and policy transformation in
South Africa.
Through this structured analysis, the assignment aims to demonstrate a critical
understanding of communication policy analysis theory and practice, while situating the
draft policy within broader debates about digital rights, inequality, and governance.
COM3712 Assignment 2 Semester 1 2026 (Answer Guide) – Due 17
April 2026
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2026
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 2
2. THE FIVE KEY STEPS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS .......................................................................... 3
2.1 Context Assessment .................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Problem Identification: Policy Questions and Objectives .................................................. 4
2.3 Theoretical Analysis and Policy Adequacy Assessment ................................................... 5
2.4 Evaluation Criteria and Recommendations............................................................................ 5
2.5 Assessment of Advantages, Disadvantages and Alternative Recommendations ....... 6
3. UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL INEQUALITY VERSUS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ............................ 7
4. KEY ISSUES FOR DIGITAL MEDIA POLICY AND REGULATION .............................................. 9
5. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................... 12
6. LIST OF SOURCES CONSULTED .................................................................................................. 14
, 2|Page
1. INTRODUCTION
This assignment presents a formal policy analysis in response to a draft digital
communication policy published for public comment by the Department of
Communications and Digital Technologies in conjunction with ICASA. The submission is
prepared from the perspective of Digital Justice South Africa (DJSA), a civil society
organisation committed to promoting digital rights, online freedom, equitable access to
digital technologies, and the protection of fundamental constitutional rights in the digital
sphere.
The draft policy under consideration addresses two key areas: digital platform content
moderation and the digitisation of government services. While these objectives aim to
respond to concerns regarding online harms and digital transformation, the policy has
generated significant debate among stakeholders, particularly regarding issues of digital
inequality, regulatory overreach, and insufficient contextualisation within South African
socio-economic realities.
This assignment will examine the draft policy using a structured policy analysis
framework. Firstly, it will describe the five key steps for conducting policy analysis,
drawing on the theoretical guidance provided in sub-unit 3.2 and Hanberger (2001).
Secondly, it will critically examine the distinction between the “digital divide” and broader
digital inequality, highlighting why a narrow understanding of access alone is insufficient
in the South African context. Thirdly, the assignment will explore key complexities
surrounding digital media policy and regulation, including platform governance,
jurisdictional challenges, and the global influence of regulatory models from the Global
North. Finally, the conclusion will summarise the main analytical arguments and reflect
on the broader implications for democratic participation and policy transformation in
South Africa.
Through this structured analysis, the assignment aims to demonstrate a critical
understanding of communication policy analysis theory and practice, while situating the
draft policy within broader debates about digital rights, inequality, and governance.
