Should South Africa follow Australia’s social media ban for children?

SmartphoneFree Childhood South Africa (SFC-SA) is calling on the government to follow international trends and ban social media access for children under the age of 16.

The organisation has urged the government and schools to urgently adopt a mandatory ban on smartphones and social media access for children under 16, describing the move as a crucial public health priority before the new school year starts.

The organisation spoke out after Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media access for children under 16. The island nation also threatened heavy fines for companies that fail to comply.

However, other child rights organisations have adopted a more cautious approach, saying while they advocate for control, they are not in support of a total ban.

Kate Farina, head of strategy at SFC-SA, said Australia’s mandatory ban on major social media platforms for children under 16 is a move Malaysia plans to replicate from 2026. She added that the international trend is something South Africa needs to hop on before it falls woefully behind.

“This international trend sends a non-negotiable warning to South African policymakers and parents. Countries are recognising that social media is ‘harmful by design’, built to manipulate attention and maximise profit at the expense of a child’s well-being.

“We cannot afford to be left behind, watching from the sidelines while our children fall victim to factors that have consequences that stretch far beyond the immediate issues. We need to focus on protecting the entirety of childhood from exposure to age-inappropriate digital content, not just the school day,” said Farina.

She stated that a Unicef survey found that among South African children aged 9-17, 70% use the internet without parental consent, 25% have added unknown contacts, and 67% of those exposed to sexual images encountered them online.

“The issue goes beyond mental health; it directly impacts the foundation of a safe society. The goal is not to be anti-tech. The goal is to be pro age-appropriate tech,” she said.

Dr Shaheda Omar, of The Teddy Bear Foundation, said South Africa should first observe the outcomes of the actions in Australia, noting that it is very difficult to impose a ban.

“Children are getting tablets at school when they are as young as 11 years old,” she said, adding that there must be monitored use of the internet, and parents should also be empowered to ensure that the internet is being used in line with schoolwork.

“While the ban marks a bold step towards protecting children from online harm, it should not be treated as a silver bullet solution. Safeguarding childhood in the digital age requires a balanced approach,” she said.

Adeshini Naicker, the director of Childline KZN, said while the idea is excellent on paper, challenges may arise with actual implementation.

“We have to ensure children’s rights are not being violated. While we may not endorse an outright ban, we would almost certainly support tighter regulation on platforms, meaningful age verification, safer design for children, and limits that reduce harm.

“In other words, we would likely be in favour of stronger protections, but not necessarily a full ban unless it was proven to be the most effective way to keep kids safe,” she said.

A community member, Ebrahim Essa, expressed concerns about the Australian ban, suggesting that the wrong people (children) are being targeted to address the problems created by adults. “Certain social networks have now been banned from reaching children under the age of 16 in some countries like Australia. So, rightfully, for sure!”

He sarcastically stated, “After all, it’s kids who create the platforms of pornography, child trafficking, the idea of paedophilia, religious bigotry, wars, and oppression.”

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies said it is developing the Draft White Paper on Audio and Audio-Visual Media Services and Online Safety to protect children.

In a statement, the Department said the Draft White Paper places strong emphasis on the protection of children from harmful online content and introduces mandatory safety obligations for platforms, including age verification, parental controls, and content restrictions for minors.

“South Africa is pursuing a balanced, evidence-based regulatory approach that strengthens platform accountability, parental controls, age verification systems, and media literacy, while safeguarding constitutional rights such as access to information and freedom of expression. Children must be protected from exposure to content that may impair their physical, mental, or moral development,” it said.

THE MERCURY