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As more nations impose age limits on social media, South Africa confronts a critical question: should it adopt a similar measure or devise an age-appropriate solution for its unique circumstances? Experts caution that the problem extends beyond the content on screens to what they deny children. Australia has already enacted a national minimum age of 16, Indonesia has followed suit, and the United Kingdom will introduce restrictions starting in 2027.

France recently banned social media access for children under 15, becoming the first European country to do so. French President Emmanuel Macron supported the ban as a key reform for his final term, aiming to enforce it by September 2026. In South Africa, the debate now centers on whether to prohibit under‑16s from using social media or to develop a comprehensive child‑safety strategy.

Linique Hanekom, a researcher at North-West University’s Centre for Health and Human Performance, suggests that South Africa should seriously consider an age restriction, but warns against overly simplistic solutions. “I would prefer the language of an ‘age restriction’ rather than simply a punitive ‘ban.’ An age restriction alone is insufficient,” she says.

“It needs to be part of a broader child‑development and online‑safety strategy involving parents, schools, government, and technology companies.” Hanekom highlights that the harm of social media goes beyond the content itself. It also involves the activities that are lost when children are on screens—conversations, play, and sleep.

“The issue isn’t just what a screen does to a child; it is what the screen may prevent the child from doing,” she explains. Evidence supports her concerns. A 2024 meta‑analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics found that excessive screen exposure for children under six was associated with poorer cognitive and psychosocial outcomes. For older kids, social media can amplify social comparison, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful material, while also disrupting sleep and reducing opportunities for patience, problem‑solving, and tolerating boredom.

Hanekom argues that safeguarding children requires a shared responsibility. Parents can delay account creation and keep devices out of bedrooms. “Schools can teach media literacy and enforce phone‑free periods,” she adds. “Government should demand child‑safe settings, stronger data protection, and transparency from platforms.” Technology companies must also reduce manipulative design features, she contends.

“Technology should become part of childhood without becoming a substitute for it,” Hanekom concludes.