NUGS calls for social media ban for children under 16 amid rising indiscipline concerns

• NUGS President Rashid Ibrahim calls for a ban on social media use by children under 16, citing concerns over indiscipline and harmful online content.

• Gabon has become the first African country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for minors under 16.

• The Cyber Security Authority says Ghana is working on measures to restrict children's access to harmful online content and improve digital safety.

Governments across the world are introducing stricter laws to limit children's access to social media, citing growing concerns over online safety, cyberbullying, mental health challenges and exposure to harmful content.

Rather than relying solely on voluntary safety measures introduced by technology companies, policymakers are increasingly pursuing legislation that includes age-verification systems, parental consent requirements and, in some cases, outright bans on social media use for minors.

The renewed push comes amid mounting scrutiny of major technology companies over allegations that they have failed to adequately protect young users. Critics argue that social media platforms are deliberately designed to maximise engagement among children and teenagers through features such as endless scrolling, algorithm-driven recommendations and weak age-verification systems.

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Several legal setbacks involving some of the world's biggest technology firms have further strengthened calls for tighter regulation, with governments across Europe, Asia, Oceania and now Africa taking steps to reduce minors' exposure to social media.

In Africa, Gabon has become the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 16.

The law, enacted in 2026, prohibits minors from operating personal social media accounts except for educational purposes. It also places legal responsibility on parents and guardians to supervise their children's online activities.

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Authorities say the legislation is aimed at protecting children from cyberbullying, misinformation, online exploitation and harmful digital content.

Gabon currently remains the only African country to implement such legislation, joining a growing list of nations around the world that have adopted stricter controls on children's use of social media.

Against the backdrop of the global debate, the President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Rashid Ibrahim, has proposed that Ghana consider banning children under the age of 16 from using social media as part of broader efforts to address indiscipline among young people.

Speaking in an interview with Pulse Ghana, Ibrahim clarified that his proposal specifically targets children below the age of 16.

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According to him, indiscipline in Ghana today has become very alarming. Social media has become one of several factors influencing negative behaviour among young people, as many children imitate content they encounter online.

"Students at that stage tend to copy most of the things they see on social media, whether violent attacks or other inappropriate behaviour. In Ghana, you cannot control the kind of content someone uploads. Someone may even be smoking weed or promoting Tramadol on TikTok, and when children see such things, they may want to experiment."

He argued that countries which pioneered modern social media regulations have already begun restricting children's access and believes Ghana should consider adopting similar measures.

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Beyond social media, Ibrahim also expressed concern about government-issued tablets distributed to senior high school students, saying they should be restricted strictly to educational use.

According to him, feedback from students suggests the devices can currently be used to access social media platforms and adult content, defeating the purpose for which they were introduced.

While advocating tighter controls on children's access to social media, the NUGS President stressed that online platforms are only one part of a wider challenge affecting discipline in schools.

He identified drug abuse, poor communication between school authorities and students, and inadequate parental guidance as other significant contributors.

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He added that parents must take primary responsibility for shaping their children's behaviour before they enter school.

The proposal comes as governments worldwide continue to debate how best to balance children's access to technology with the need to protect them from harmful online experiences.

Supporters of stricter regulation argue that limiting young people's access to social media can help reduce cyberbullying, online exploitation, exposure to inappropriate content and excessive screen time.

However, critics maintain that education, digital literacy, stronger parental supervision and improved platform safety measures may be more effective than outright bans.

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Speaking on the second day of the National Community Media Cyber Capacity Building Project in Accra, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) disclosed that the government is working on measures to introduce restrictions on social media use by children as part of broader efforts to enhance online child protection.