Banning social media for children under 16 in Fiji would almost certainly fail and risks distracting from the real problem — a lack of digital parenting and literacy — an information technology expert has told this newspaper.
Mohammed Nafeez said attempts to outlaw access would be easily circumvented because most major platforms already set a 13‑plus minimum age and younger children are routinely using them. “Most social media platforms already say 13‑year‑old and above,” he said. “Yet every Fiji parent knows that 10‑year‑olds are on TikTok, Year 6 students run Instagram pages, Primary school students manage gaming Discord servers. A law will not change this. It will only teach children one new skill, that is, how to lie about their birth date.”
Nafeez’s comments come as regional debates about age limits and regulatory controls on social media gather pace. In Australia, federal proposals to restrict under‑16s’ access to social media have prompted discussion about how far governments can and should go to protect children online. Nafeez said the Australian approach highlights the limits of legislation in a world where devices and apps are already part of everyday life for many families.
“Let’s not pretend legislation can replace guidance,” he said. “Government can pass laws. But it cannot sit beside your child at night and say, ‘Put the phone down now.’ That job is still yours.” He argued that enforcement-heavy approaches risk criminalising commonplace behaviours and shifting responsibility away from parents, teachers and communities who are in the best position to influence children’s day‑to‑day online conduct.
Instead of bans, Nafeez urged a focus on practical, community‑level measures: structured conversations between parents and children about digital safety, accessible digital literacy training, and stronger engagement by schools. “Instead of bans, we need conversations. Instead of fear, we need guidance. Instead of laws, we need literacy,” he said, painting a picture of smartphones in the hands of children while many parents remain untrained and schools avoid digital safety education.
He used a simple analogy to underline his point: “Teach children to swim … don’t drain the ocean.” Nafeez wants policymakers and child‑safety advocates in Fiji to prioritise programmes that build parental capability, incorporate digital safety into school curricula, and encourage practical family rules and supervision that reflect how children actually use devices and platforms.
His remarks add a local voice to an evolving regional policy conversation, signalling that any move toward age‑based restrictions will need to be matched by investments in education and community support if it is to achieve meaningful protection for children online.
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