The damage being caused to young people through unrestricted access to social media is a growing crisis that requires urgent intervention, according to a University of Eswatini (UNESWA) academic.
Clement Dlamini, also a social worker and parental specialist, says many children are being exposed to anxiety, bullying, poor self-image and dangerous online influences at an early age.
Dlamini’s warning comes at a time when Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thuli Dladla recently called for the banning of smartphones for young people, citing negative influences associated with excessive and unsupervised use of digital devices. The backdrop of her statement is based on the fact that 60 teenage pregnancies from age of 10 to 19 were recorded at Ngudzeni last year. She said through smartphones (social media) teens are exposed to inappropriate material which could influence them to experiment prematurely.
The remarks have sparked debate on whether the country should introduce stricter controls on children’s access to smartphones and social media platforms.
Speaking on the matter, Dlamini said the emotional and psychological effects of social media on children were becoming increasingly visible in homes, schools and communities.
“What we are seeing is not harmless entertainment. Many children are struggling with anxiety, poor concentration, sleep disturbances and low self-esteem linked to what they consume online,” he said. “When children are constantly comparing themselves to unrealistic lifestyles, appearances and trends, it can damage confidence and mental well-being.”
He said cyberbullying was among the most dangerous threats facing young people because it followed them everywhere.
In the past, bullying often ended when the child left school. Today, he said, it continues through the night on phones and social media. “There is no safe space. The bullying is constant and many children suffer in silence because they fear losing access to their devices if they tell a parent,” he said.
Dlamini also raised concern on children’s exposure to age-inappropriate material, including sexualised content, graphic violence, scams and misinformation often without parents being aware. Children are being exposed to adult realities long before they have the emotional maturity to process them and therefore the social consequences of such is beginning to show.
Concerning the DPM’s recent call for a ban on smartphones, the lecturer said although concerns raised were valid, but the solution should go beyond simply removing devices.
His opinion is that a ban may sound decisive, but if it is not practical or properly enforced, children may still access devices in secret or through other means. What must be dealt with is the root issue, which is digital discipline, parental guidance and education.
“Restriction without education doesn’t produce safer children. It produces more secretive ones,” he added.
Dlamini felt that the country should consider a balanced approach that protects children while still allowing them to benefit from technology for learning and innovation.
This discourse raised by the DPM mirrors a growing international trend where countries are tightening rules around minors’ use of social media.
In the United States, states such as California have introduced measures requiring technology companies to better protect children from harmful content and addictive platform design. Some lawmakers have also proposed stricter parental controls and age limits for account holders.
In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety Bill places greater responsibility on social media companies to protect children from harmful material and introduce stronger age verification systems.
Across the European Union, new digital laws have provisions aimed at protecting minors’ privacy, limiting targeted advertising to children and requiring safer platform standards. France has also pushed for tougher safeguards to prevent children from accessing harmful content online.
China has taken one of the toughest approaches, introducing time limits for minors using online platforms and requiring real-name registration to reduce harmful exposure.
Australia, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have also pursued stronger age checks, anti-cyberbullying measures and parental control systems.
The lecturer said these international examples show that the world is recognising the risks posed by unrestricted digital access for children.
He said the lesson is not for Eswatini to copy every foreign model, but for advanced nations to accept that leaving platforms to regulate themselves has not worked.
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Dlamini felt that the kingdom should instead develop its own practical response based on local realities, including internet access levels, parenting challenges and enforcement capacity.
Meanwhile, just a month ago in Parliament, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu was asked to address the growing tendency of derogatory or misleading content about the country being pushed via social media.
In her response she acknowledged that some countries indeed have adopted stringent measures, including restrictions on certain social media platforms, in an effort to curb the spread of harmful content.
Shakantu emphasised the importance of adopting a balanced and context-specific response for Eswatini and underscored the need to strengthen public awareness and digital literacy.
She also highlighted that her ministry has taken proactive steps to address information manipulation.
This is through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of China (Taiwan) aimed at combating misinformation, enhancing digital transparency and strengthening mechanisms to counter the spread of false information.
The MoU was concluded during a three-day training for public and private sector participants last year.
