Matthew Nyindam and David Vondee
Child Rights International’s (CRI) proposal to restrict children’s access to social media is gaining support in Parliament, with lawmakers from both sides of the House backing calls for stronger online safeguards for minors.
The latest endorsements have come from the Member of Parliament for Kpandai, Mathew Nyindam, and the Member of Parliament for Twifo-Atti-Morkwa, David Vondee, who say stronger regulation is needed to shield children from harmful online content while preserving the educational benefits of the internet.
The support follows a recent study by Child Rights International, which called for legislation restricting access to social media platforms for children below the age of 17 and the introduction of mandatory age-verification systems to reduce children’s exposure to harmful online content, cyber abuse and sexual exploitation.
Speaking to the DAILY GUIDE, Mr. Nyindam said social media had become an important source of learning and communication for young people but warned that unrestricted access exposed children to pornography, online fraud and other inappropriate material.
“We are in a technological world today where social media is taking over from the traditional media. There are a lot of people, including children, who learn many things from social media. But there are also negatives, and children can easily be exposed to harmful content if there are no restrictions,” he said.
The Kpandai legislator said he supports the introduction of age-verification systems to ensure underage users are unable to access restricted online content.
“There must be some kind of verification. If you are below the legislated age, you should not be allowed to access certain sites,” he stressed.
Mr. Nyindam, however, said any restrictions should be targeted at protecting children rather than limiting adults’ access to online content.
He also urged the government, parents, schools and technology companies to work together to improve children’s online safety.
“We must protect our children, but we should not completely close the internet to them because many things are now learned and taught through social media and digital platforms,” he added.
Mr. Vondee also threw his weight behind CRI’s proposal, describing stronger controls on children’s social media use as necessary to protect their moral and educational development.
“I agree that social media control is paramount to the growth of our children. The abuse of social media and the negative effect it has on our children is noticed across the globe,” he said.
The Twifo-Atti-Morkwa MP, who serves on Parliament’s Information and Communications Committee, said many children are being exposed to immoral and sexually explicit content online, with negative consequences for their behaviour and academic performance.
“Some kids use social media and visit sites that are immoral and sexual. These don’t prepare them well. The mind usually practises what it consumes. Many of these kids are occupied by these bad thoughts, and they don’t stick to their books, making them lose focus,” he stated.
Mr. Vondee called for stringent measures to regulate internet access for minors and said children below the age of 18 should be prevented from accessing inappropriate online platforms and content.
“There must be tough measures to ensure kids below 18 are controlled in their internet usage,” he stressed.
He also pledged his support for any legislation introduced in Parliament to strengthen online child protection.
“It’s a call I’d support when it comes to Parliament,” he said.
Child Rights International has argued that excessive screen time, unrestricted access to social media and growing exposure to sexual content are placing children at risk.
The organisation is urging the government to enact legislation restricting social media access for children below the age of 17, introduce mandatory age-verification systems for digital platforms and strengthen child protection measures within Ghana’s online environment.Ghana Economic Reports
The endorsements by MPs from both the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament are expected to add momentum to the growing national debate over how Ghana should regulate children’s access to social media while safeguarding their rights to education, information and digital participation.
A Daily Guide Report
Tags: Child Rights International’s (CRI), David Vondee, general news, Matthew Nyindam, parliament
