A child advocacy group wants the African Union to introduce a minimum social media age of 16 and create an African eSafety Commission.
Image: Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP
A child advocacy organisation is urging the African Union (AU) to adopt continent-wide measures that would prevent children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms.
Ghana-based Child Online Africa has launched a petition calling on the AU to establish stronger protections for children online, arguing that African governments need a coordinated response to growing concerns around cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful content and privacy violations.
At the centre of the campaign is a proposal for the AU to adopt a binding protocol or model law by 2027 that would set 16 as the minimum age for social media use across member states.
Speaking to IOL, Child Online Africa executive director Awo Aidam Amenyah said the organisation had already taken its concerns directly to African policymakers through its #AfricaEsafetyNow campaign.
“The reality is that no country or institution has found a perfect solution to the challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies. However, there are valuable lessons and best practices from different regions of the world that can inform Africa's approach to online safety and digital governance,” she said.
Amenyah stressed that the petition was not intended to dictate policy but to encourage greater engagement on online safety issues affecting children.
“The petition is intended to support constructive engagement with policymakers and stakeholders by highlighting public concern and reinforcing the need for practical action. We remain committed to dialogue and collaboration with the AU, member states, civil society organisations, industry actors and other partners to advance online safety across the continent.”
While the organisation is advocating for continent-wide standards, Amenyah acknowledged that implementation would ultimately depend on individual governments.
“The AU can play an important role by setting standards, providing guidance, coordinating regional efforts and encouraging member states to adopt harmonised approaches. Whether such measures are effective will depend on how governments translate continental commitments into national laws, regulations and enforcement mechanisms,” she said.
She argued that the issue carries particular significance for Africa because of its demographic profile.
“Africa is home to the world's youngest population, making the protection and empowerment of children and young people online a matter of strategic importance. Ensuring their safety in digital spaces is not only a child rights issue but also an investment in the continent's future.”
Amenyah said public education and awareness would be critical if new regulations were introduced.
“With effective public education, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based policymaking, African countries can work collectively to strengthen online protections while respecting children's rights and access to digital opportunities,” she said.
However, the proposal has also prompted concerns about whether broad restrictions would be effective or proportionate.
Media Monitoring Africa director William Bird said many governments were grappling with the impact of social media on children and young people.
“It is also the case that many nations are reviewing the age limit for young people to have access to social media. It's tempting and even understandable that states would take these extreme actions,” he said.
Bird warned that blanket restrictions may not adequately address the complexity of online harms.
“The problem is that states have few tools to address what is a nuanced and multifaceted set of issues. So banning is like using a sledgehammer to build. It may have some effect but it also has material downsides,” he said.
He also questioned whether age-based restrictions could be effectively enforced.
“It assumes that children cannot get around it, and young people we know are very capable of working around the best internet safety tools, let alone a blanket ban.”
Bird further argued that broad restrictions could create tensions with children's rights.
“On a more fundamental level, it is a clear violation of children's rights to access information and freedom of expression. The desire and need for real action is clear. The impetus to ban is driven less by an over-censorial state and more by ongoing abject failures by the various platforms to ensure their platforms are safe,” he said.
Beyond the proposed minimum age requirement, Child Online Africa is calling for the establishment of an African eSafety Commission by 2028.
The organisation says the proposed body would assist national regulators, monitor online harms, enforce standards and hold technology companies accountable where children are harmed online.
It is also advocating for significant investment in digital literacy and online safety education programmes between 2026 and 2030.
The African Union had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
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