Children’s access to internet should be strictly regulated — Lawyer

A legal expert has warned that if children's access to social media is not properly regulated and used for legitimate educational purposes, they could be exposed to online dangers that governments are increasingly addressing. The Federal Government plans to allocate 100MB of data to schoolchildren to facilitate access to educational resources.

However, the lawyer called for clarification on the policy framework supporting this initiative. He asked whether the data would be limited to verified educational platforms, how children would be protected from harmful content, and how access would be monitored. He also suggested that the policy should explain how students without suitable devices or reliable electricity would benefit from the initiative.

The lawyer questioned whether the 100MB allocation would be sufficient for meaningful digital learning, noting that it could be quickly exhausted if students need to watch instructional videos, engage in virtual classes, download learning materials, and conduct online research. He emphasized that digital access alone cannot replace essential educational infrastructure like functional classrooms, competent teachers, textbooks, laboratories, libraries, and reliable electricity.

He stressed that technology should enhance these foundations, not distract from them. The lawyer also warned that internet access exposes children to harmful content, exploitation, cyberbullying, and other risks. He advised Nigeria, like other countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, to introduce legislation to control access to social media, particularly for individuals under 16.

He maintained that such legislation should recognize the need to preserve legitimate and beneficial online activities, including education.