Experts warn that the issue is not only what screens do to children, but what they prevent them from doing.
As more countries impose age restrictions on social media, South Africa faces a pressing question: should it follow suit? Picture: iStock
As more countries impose age restrictions on social media, South Africa faces a pressing question: should it follow suit or craft a solution tailored to its own realities?
Experts warn that the issue is not only what screens do to children, but also what they prevent them from doing.
Australia has already enforced a national minimum age of 16, Indonesia has followed, and the United Kingdom will implement restrictions from 2027.
France bans social media
In July 2026, France’s parliament approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making it the first European country to bar children from apps such as TikTok and other platforms.
French lawmakers approved a bill banning social media access, putting France at the forefront of similar efforts in the European Union.
French President Emmanuel Macron championed the ban as a flagship reform of his final term in office and pledged to enforce it by September 2026.
What about SA?
Now, South Africa is debating whether to shut the door on under‑16s or design a broader child‑safety strategy.
Linique Hanekom of North‑West University’s Centre for Health and Human Performance believes South Africa should seriously consider an age restriction.
Solutions
But she cautions against simplistic solutions.
“I would prefer the language of an ‘age restriction’ rather than simply a punitive ‘ban’. A restriction alone will not be enough. It should form part of a broader child‑development and online‑safety strategy involving parents, schools, government and technology companies.”
Hanekom stresses that the developmental cost of social media lies not only in harmful content, but also in the conversations, play and sleep it displaces.
“The issue is not simply what a screen does to a child; it is what the screen may prevent the child from doing.”
Research
Research backs her concern. A 2024 JAMA Pediatrics meta‑analysis found that excessive screen exposure among children under six was linked to poorer cognitive and psychosocial outcomes.
For older children, social media can intensify social comparison, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful material, while disrupting sleep and crowding out patience, problem‑solving and tolerance of boredom.
Responsibility
Hanekom argues that protection requires shared responsibility. Parents can delay accounts and keep phones out of bedrooms.
“Schools can teach media literacy and enforce phone‑free periods. Government should demand child‑safe settings, stronger data protection and transparency from platforms.”
Technology companies, she says, must reduce manipulative design features.
“Technology should become part of childhood without becoming a substitute for childhood,” Hanekom concludes.
