Minister Malatsi weighs online safety guardrails for SA as global under-16 social media bans gather pace

South Africa is considering stronger online safety measures for children as governments across the world move towards hard legal restrictions on social media access for minors.

The debate comes as Safer Internet Day is marked on 10 February, amid growing concern about cyberbullying, online scams, grooming and exposure to harmful content.

Global shift towards age bans

Australia introduced a blanket ban on social media use for under-16s in December last year. Spain followed earlier this month, becoming the first European country to implement a similar restriction. Malaysia has also adopted comparable measures.

Other European countries, including France, Norway, Denmark and Greece, are moving to restrict access for children under 15, while the UK is consulting on an Australian-style model. China has taken a different approach, introducing a ‘minor mode’ that limits screen time and content rather than banning access outright.

Against this backdrop, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies says it is closely monitoring developments.

‘We have to get the balance right’

Communications Minister Solly Malatsi said the government was considering the ‘best approach’ for South Africa, warning against quick fixes that cannot be enforced.

“There’s no doubt that we live in an age of increased online harms,” Malatsi said, pointing to cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content and a rise in online grooming.

He cautioned that blanket bans could become ‘cosmetic interventions’ if the state lacks the capacity to enforce them.

“There’s always a temptation whenever there is a problem in society to say, ‘Let’s put bans, let’s put restrictions in place,’” he said. “But prior to doing that, we have to capacitate ourselves with enough mechanisms. Otherwise, we end up having cosmetic interventions that seem like we are doing something.”

Malatsi said South Africa was exploring stronger guardrails, including possible age-verification requirements for platforms. However, he acknowledged weaknesses in existing systems, citing reports of children bypassing age restrictions using others’ identification.

“I don’t think we’ll ever get globally to a perfect solution, but there have to be enough guardrails in place so that we limit the abuse,” he said.

Platform accountability under scrutiny

Holding global tech giants accountable remains a major hurdle, particularly where companies are registered outside South Africa’s jurisdiction.

Malatsi said local regulatory tools already exist, including legislation linked to child protection and the Films and Publications Board (FPB), but enforcement needs strengthening.

In the 2024/25 financial year, the FPB conducted content analysis in more than 25 cases involving inappropriate material shared with children, much of it pornographic and linked to grooming. Several matters are before the courts, with convictions already secured in some cases.

However, Malatsi admitted most interventions are reactive.

“The key thing is that is reactive to when the crime has already occurred,” he said, stressing the need for preventative safeguards that do not infringe constitutional freedoms.

Digital literacy and misinformation

Beyond explicit content, the minister highlighted broader risks, including online betting advertising, cyberbullying, mental health concerns and misinformation amplified by artificial intelligence.

He said basic digital skills and media literacy are critical, particularly as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated.

“The growth of AI-generated material in the last few years has actually diluted even the conversation, and even people who are fairly educated often fall prey to such content,” Malatsi said.

Through entities such as the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), the government is working to strengthen digital skills training, including helping users distinguish between authentic information and misleading content.

Research cited by Malatsi shows that more than half of internet usage in South Africa is geared towards social media, largely for entertainment. He said greater use of online platforms for education, entrepreneurship and economic participation is needed to unlock growth in the digital economy.

For now, the government appears cautious about rushing into an outright ban. But with global momentum building, the pressure is mounting for South Africa to decide how far it is prepared to go to protect children online.

For more details, listen to Malatsi using the audio player below: