Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
ZIMBABWE is formulating a policy to ban underage children from accessing and using Social Media platforms as a way of protecting them.
The Child Online Protection Policy framework seeks to bring responsible use of the internet in the digital era, while at the same time not taking away the rights of minors.
Speaking in Hurungwe on Sunday, ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Tatenda Mavetera, said the policy, which is still at formulation stages, was a response to abuse by learners, among them teenagers.
Minister Mavetera was addressing hundreds of Digital Ambassadors in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West. who graduated after acquiring several digital skills.
She said the policy also intends to protect the mental health of the minors from the harmful information found online.
“We are now in the process of formulating a Child Online Protection Policy that is aimed at protecting our children from dangers and harm associated with Social Media,” she said without mentioning how the law will be implemented as children access the social media platforms in their safe zones.
“The policy would seek to restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of majority.”
Minister Mavetera said while Zimbabwe had embarked on a massive roll-out of ICT gadgets and a digitalisation drive, the country was at war against Social Media abuse, particularly by underage children.
“We have noticed with great concern the abuse of social media by our children. While we are not taking away their right to access internet services, the policy seeks to ban our children from accessing and using social media platforms, including Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram, among others,” she said.
“We cannot solve one problem by creating another. The policy will help protect young people from the dangers associated with social media.”
Last year, Australia implemented a landmark law in December 2025 banning children under 16 from major social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat.
The law places the onus on platforms to enforce age restrictions or face fines up to $A$49,5 million.
While Social Media platforms like Facebook have their own age restrictions, Zimbabwe is expected to go a step further in ensuring that offenders will be fined.
Child President, Lionel Mazarire, said the policy was long overdue.
“We support the formulation of the policy. This will guide and protect us as learners on what to use the internet for. Primarily, the internet should be our schoolwork,” he said.
“While there is a fight against drugs and substance abuse, we have yet another fight against social media abuse that we have to win, and the policy is the right decision.”
A parent from Karoi, Mr Abel Matsika, said the policy was the move that was coming at a time when children were being influenced negatively by what they consume online.
“As parents, most of the time we are busy working for the kids and turn a blind eye to how they are using their smartphones. The policy is going to help us manage and control them,” he said.
How is that possible when teachers now rely on digital media to do their work? Teachers no longer teach. Meta does it for them. Homework is now sent to the child’s phone. It’s like closing the door when the dog has bolted.