Expert shares insight on possible social media ban in SA
Will South Africa be the next country to introduce a social media ban for teens?
With 2025 comes the rise of a new generation: Gen Beta.
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Every child in this generation will grow up in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is a given, shaping all aspect of their lives. Like their predecessors, they’ll also be part of the ongoing digital era defined by social media and the internet.
Social media is a massive part of modern life, whether it's used for staying connected with friends, building businesses, or launching careers as influencers and content creators.
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Yet, since its inception, the debate around its pros and cons has been ongoing.
This debate will continue as long as these platforms remain and new ones join the fray.
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There is also extensive research being done on both sides of the debate, but no solid conclusions can be drawn.
Are people better off without social media interaction, or does it play a positive role in society?
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In November 2024, Australia implemented some of the world's strictest social media laws, banning children under 16 from accessing all social media platforms.
Naturally, this sparked significant backlash from major social media companies, igniting a global conversation about the role of social media in the lives of young people.
This law aims to protect children from the mental health risks of social media, such as cyberbullying, addiction, and exposure to harmful or age-inappropriate content.
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There have been reports that South Africa is considering implementing similar laws.
According to BusinessTech, digital expert Emma Sadleir has said that her company, The Digital Law Company, is currently drafting a bill and that banning teens from social media in SA is a possibility.
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Sadleir admits, though, that these laws will be hard to implement.
From a big-picture point of view, I’m delighted. The idea that the age of internet adulthood should be 13 is mad. Anyone with a 13-year-old knows that’s the age they should be kept off social media, not on it.
Sadleir says that the possibility of the new law should be welcomed as it can help start important conversations between parents and children about social media use and when it’s the appropriate time for children to be on it.
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She also compared it to South Africa’s alcohol laws, which bans anyone under the age of 18 from purchasing or consuming alcohol.
There are always teens who will get their hands on it, but it creates a social norm.
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These social media laws could also help shift the norm, according to Sadleir.
At least society agrees that kids shouldn’t be drinking. Right now, parents face pressure because their children say they’re the only ones not on the app. No one wants their child left out, and that’s often why parents give in.
A ban could help society move towards the idea that social media isn’t appropriate for young kids.
She also warns that teenagers will always find a way to circumvent these bans, with VPN downloads rocketing up with 1,400% after the UK introduced its Online Safety Act.
None of these are perfect, but at least governments are finally saying enough is enough. Our children are being exposed to toxic, addictive, and harmful content—especially on TikTok. I see it every day.
Sadleir says she’s “the first responder when things go wrong” concerning South African children going online.
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According to her, the average age of children being exposed to pornography for the first time is nine years old.
She supports the idea of also making companies, not children, responsible. In Australia, the companies face repercussions if a child gains access to social media, facing fines of up to 30-million Australian dollars.
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While Sadleir champions the implementation of similar laws in SA, she acknowledges that enforcement will be the biggest challenge.
The problem is international tech companies don’t take South African law seriously. When regulators ask WhatsApp, TikTok or Snapchat how they’re complying with POPIA, they don’t care.
Until the South African government is prepared to take a strong stance and tell companies they will be cut off if they do not follow our laws, these platforms will just do whatever they want.
According to UNICEF South Africa’s ‘SA Kids Online Study’ (2020):
70% of children surveyed use the internet without parental consent
25% confirmed that they have added people whom they have never met face-to-face to their friends or contacts list
18% have sent a photo or video of themselves to a person they have never met face-to-face
67% of child participants who have seen sexual images were exposed to them on an online device
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Image: AFP