It’s high time we made the virtual space safer for children with age-appropriate digital services

“My child opened a social media account for me, and even went as far as to register and access ChatGPT, the new chatbot application that has impressed but also caused so much anxiety across the world.”

This is the kind of comment that has become common at social gatherings in recent times as parents grapple with technological advancements and their more techno-savvy children.

It is often said that children take to the digital world as fish take to water. Based on a report from Statista, in January 2022 South Africa had as many as 41.19 million active internet users and 28 million active social media users.

Another study in 2022, involving 2,643 children (9 to 17 years) and 1,393 parents conducted across 176 cities and towns across South Africa and supported by Unicef South Africa and the Department of Social Development, claims that more than 95% of children in South Africa have access to the internet.

The uptake of the digital world was further accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns when schools and colleges operated remotely. 

This huge uptake of the digital world by children is something that should be a reason for concern for all of us, including governments and civil society. The internet can be seen as a virtual world co-existing side-by-side with the real world, with a cyber community dealing with real-life issues.

And just like the real world, the virtual world also contains content and information which may not be age-appropriate for children. 

With advancements in communication technologies and with the rollout of 5G connectivity in many countries around the world, the user experience of digital products and services has become much improved.

In the near future, and especially with the rollout of 6G connectivity (expected to be developed and rolled out by 2030) and further maturing of technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality and metaverse, the uptake of digital products and services will increase further. Both worlds — real and virtual — have evolved over time.

One of the main problems in the virtual space is the system design of the digital products and services which develop addiction for services which are algorithmically promoted.

Algorithms can now learn from the behaviour of users to make targeted recommendations. New business models and products have come up over the years to keep users glued to the screen. Some products like online games and short videos can also be addictive.

Exposure to non-age-appropriate content negatively affects the mental and physical well-being of children. On social media and in the world of online gaming, children often have “friends’’ on their contact list who they have never met physically. This makes children vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and online violence.