Child rights group urges AU to set minimum social media age of 16

A Ghana-based child advocacy group is calling on the African Union to set a continent-wide minimum age of 16 for social media use and establish a regional body to monitor online harms. The appeal is part of a wider campaign that includes a petition, public education proposals and calls for regulatory tools to hold platforms to account, according to IOL.

What the campaign asks of the AU

According to IOL, Child Online Africa has launched a petition calling on the AU to establish stronger protections for children online. 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.

Organisation’s approach and advocacy

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 petition is intended to support constructive engagement with policymakers and stakeholders by highlighting public concern and reinforcing the need for practical action.”

Amenyah also said the organisation is calling for the establishment of an African eSafety Commission by 2028 to assist national regulators, monitor online harms, enforce standards and hold technology companies accountable where children are harmed online, according to IOL.

Education and implementation timelines

According to IOL, Child Online Africa is advocating for significant investment in digital literacy and online safety education programmes between 2026 and 2030. Amenyah told IOL that public education and stakeholder engagement would be critical if new regulations were introduced.

Supporters’ concerns and sceptics’ warnings

The campaign frames the proposals as a response to mounting concerns about cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful content and privacy violations. Media Monitoring Africa director William Bird told IOL that many governments are reviewing age limits for social media access but warned that broad restrictions may be blunt instruments and could raise rights concerns.

Bird said blanket bans may not address the complexity of online harms and could be difficult to enforce, and he warned such measures could create tensions with children’s rights to access information and freedom of expression, according to IOL.

Next steps

According to IOL, Child Online Africa wants the AU to set continental standards, provide guidance and coordinate regional efforts, while acknowledging that implementation would depend on how individual governments translate any continental commitments into national laws and enforcement.

According to IOL, the African Union had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.