South Africa rejects blanket social media age verification for under-16s

South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has told parliament that the government is not pursuing any plans to introduce a blanket policy that would restrict under-16s from accessing social media. The position sets South Africa apart from a growing number of countries, including several in Africa, that are considering or adopting age assurance requirements. Instead, the government says platforms should strengthen their own protections against harmful content.

Malatsi made the declaration recently in a Q&A response when asked if the government was considering any such measure as seen in countries like Australia, where a social media age verification regime is in place.

“No. There is currently no irrefutable indication that a general social media access ban for persons under 16 years old actually prevents them from being digitally active on such platforms,” the government minister said, reports South African outlet Business Tech.

Australia’s social media age verification law has prompted governments around the world to consider similar measures. In Africa, Gabon became the first country to enforce age verification for social media and other digital content. Rwanda is drafting legislation, while Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda have publicly discussed possible age assurance measures. Ghana has also joined the debate, with a child safety advocacy group urging the African Union to consider a general social media age-gating policy for under-16s.

Malatsi’s comments suggest South Africa sees platform accountability, rather than blanket age restrictions, as the more effective approach to protecting children online. He previously urged platforms to have stronger internal mechanisms to manage harmful content during South Africa’s Social Media Summit in July.

South Africa’s position reflects a broader shift in the online safety debate. Rather than relying solely on age-gating or blanket restrictions, policymakers are increasingly examining whether platforms themselves should bear greater responsibility for protecting children. Australia is also moving in that direction with its proposed digital duty of care legislation.

Article Topics

age verification  |  regulation  |  social media  |  South Africa