Child protection advocates in Malawi are raising alarm over the increasing exposure of children to social media platforms, warning that this trend poses significant risks to their development, safety, and well-being.
Hughes Munthali, Youth Net and Counselling (Yoneco) programme support manager, acknowledged that while the government and other stakeholders have made strides in promoting online child safety, more needs to be done.
“There is limited awareness among children and parents on the importance of online child safety and the available reporting mechanisms. There’s also inadequate knowledge and skills among parents, children, and even enforcement agencies,” Munthali said.
He noted that Malawi’s Constitution and other laws provide a legal framework to safeguard children from abuse, including threats in digital spaces.
Section 23 of the Constitution guarantees children’s right to protection from treatment that may interfere with their education or harm their health and development.
Additionally, the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act, along with the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act of 2016, address child exploitation and cybercrimes.
Despite these protections, enforcement remains a major challenge, and digital literacy among families is still low.
To help bridge the gap, Yoneco is running community-level awareness campaigns particularly in rural areas using a mix of radio programmes, theatre for development, and community dialogues.
“We have trained young people as child presenters who produce and broadcast radio programmes on children’s digital rights. We also hold sensitization campaigns and engage communities through interactive sessions,” said Munthali.
Amos Chibwana, a child rights activist, warned that early exposure to social media can disrupt a child’s emotional and psychological development.
“When children grow up on social media, it becomes part of their identity even when it is toxic. They normalize harmful behaviours, which affects their confidence and academic performance,” Chibwana said.
He further condemned the act of posting images or videos of traumatized or abused children on social platforms, arguing that such exposure creates lasting emotional damage.
“This violates children’s dignity and strips away their right to play and socially interact in real life, which is crucial for development,” he said.
Chibwana urged parents to be more vigilant in monitoring their children’s digital activities, calling it the “first line of defense” against exploitation and online abuse.
“Parents must know what their children are doing online. Awareness starts at home,” he said.
Catherine Kulapani, a concerned parent, echoed the expert’s concerns. She said she has deliberately chosen not to allow her children access to smartphones or social media at a young age.
“When children are on social media, their minds are always glued to the phone. They stop thinking clearly. I want mine to focus on school first,” she said.
She encouraged other parents to act as mentors and gatekeepers, emphasizing that overexposure to social media weakens children’s academic focus and moral grounding.
“It is the responsibility of every parent to guide their children on what to watch, read, or interact with online,” she added.
A 14-year-old girl, whose identity we hide, also shared her experience. She said she does not use social media because of her parents’ guidance.
“My parents told me that social media corrupts the mind. They want me to focus on my education and wait until I get to college,” she said.
As access to smartphones and the internet increases in Malawi, the country stands at a critical crossroads in ensuring its children are safe in the digital age.
In 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which defines children’s rights to protection, education, health, care, shelter and good nutrition.
