A growing number of countries across Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania have tightened rules on children’s use of social media, raising an important question for African governments: should the continent adopt similar measures to protect young users online?
Concerns over cyberbullying, harmful content, online predators and the effects of excessive screen time on children’s mental health have pushed several governments to act. Australia has already introduced one of the world’s toughest laws, barring children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms and imposing heavy fines on companies that fail to comply.
Across Europe, countries including Britain, France, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Poland and Greece are either preparing or debating restrictions aimed at limiting social media access for minors. Many of these proposals would require technology companies to verify users’ ages before granting access to their platforms.
China has rolled out digital controls that limit screen time for children, while Malaysia has begun preventing those under 16 from opening social media accounts. In the United States, lawmakers are also pushing for stronger online protections for minors.
Supporters of these measures argue that stricter regulations can help reduce exposure to harmful content, online harassment and digital addiction among young people.
