By Abdullahi Jimoh
Social media has become an integral part of daily life, transforming how people communicate, access information and participate in public discourse. As internet access expands across Africa, children are coming online in unprecedented numbers. Globally, one in three internet users is a child. In Africa, an estimated 40 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 have internet access, a figure that continues to rise as smartphones become more affordable and digital connectivity improves.
Greater connectivity has created new opportunities for learning and participation, but it has also exposed children to an increasingly complex digital environment where misinformation, online abuse and harmful content circulate at remarkable speed. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, pushing millions of African children online for education, entertainment and social interaction, often without adequate digital literacy or online safety education.
Risks for children with intellectual disabilities
For children with intellectual and development disabilities, however, these risks are amplified. The African Union’s Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy recognises that children with disabilities face heightened online vulnerabilities and calls for inclusive digital literacy initiatives, stronger child protection systems and coordinated action from governments, schools, civil society and technology companies. Yet disability advocates say implementation remains uneven, leaving many children without the skills needed to navigate digital spaces safely.
The international child rights community groups online risks into four broad categories: content, contact, conduct and consumer (or contract) risks, commonly known as the “4Cs”.
Misinformation cuts across each of these categories. False health claims, manipulated videos, scams, hate speech and misleading narratives can expose children to exploitation, reinforce harmful stereotypes and influence their decisions long before they develop the critical thinking skills needed to assess the credibility of online information.
The challenge in Nigeria
Nigeria illustrates the scale of the challenge. With more than 107 million active social media users, platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube have become primary channels for consuming and sharing information. These same platforms also serve as major vectors for the spread of misinformation. Young people are particularly active users, and children increasingly encounter online content independently, often without parental supervision or guidance.
Research suggests that young people are especially susceptible to misinformation because they often prioritise novelty and emotional appeal over accuracy. A 2024 report by FactCheck Africa cites studies showing that school-aged children frequently share misleading content because it helps them socialise or express themselves online. The report also references research by Herrero-Diz and colleagues, which found that many young people are drawn to sensational or emotionally charged content without questioning its credibility, making them more vulnerable to hoaxes, rumours and manipulation.
For children with intellectual or other disabilities, and neurodevelopmental conditions, these vulnerabilities are compounded by persistent social exclusion and limited access to digital literacy programmes. While many own or have access to smartphones, they are frequently overlooked in conversations about online safety and media literacy, despite facing distinct challenges in recognising deception, verifying information and responding to harmful content.
“The misinformation surrounding autism and Down syndrome extends far beyond social media,” says Toheeb Babalola, a disability rights advocate. “Some people still believe these children have no future or no value in society. There have been cases where parents abandoned or harmed their children after being misled by traditional beliefs that portrayed them as curses or even ‘pythons in human form.'”
Such narratives demonstrate that misinformation is not confined to the digital sphere; it reinforces discrimination that already exists offline. As more young people with intellectual disabilities gain access to smartphones and social media, these longstanding myths can spread more rapidly and reach wider audiences, underscoring the need for inclusive media literacy interventions.
Bridging the Gap
It is these loopholes that Toheeb Babalola hopes to address through the Disability Equality Initiative Nigeria (DEIN). Rather than treating young people with Down syndrome as passive recipients of online information, the programme equips them with practical skills to identify misleading claims, question suspicious content and verify information before sharing it.
According to Nurudeen Akewusola, an award-winning fact-checker with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, initiatives such as these complement broader policy ambitions but cannot succeed in isolation.
“The African Union has recognised these risks through its Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy, which promotes digital literacy and safer online spaces for children,” he says. “However, governments, schools, parents and technology companies must work together to ensure these commitments are implemented effectively and that children are equipped to recognise and resist misinformation.”
Protecting children online
Adopted by the African Union in February 2024 during its 44th Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, the Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy sets out ten strategic objectives to strengthen child protection in digital spaces. Among its priorities are improving digital literacy, promoting online safety, protecting children’s rights and encouraging collaboration between governments, civil society and the private sector. While the framework provides a roadmap, experts argue that implementation will determine whether it delivers meaningful protection for the continent’s most vulnerable children.
Akewusola believes that effective implementation requires more than policy commitments. It demands sustained investment in media literacy, stronger partnerships between governments and independent fact-checking organisations, and greater accountability from technology companies.
“Platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and X have a responsibility because they are where many young people consume information,” he says. “They should strengthen content moderation, work transparently with independent fact-checkers to reduce the spread of misleading content and invest in digital literacy initiatives that help children and young people critically evaluate what they encounter online.”
For advocates, the challenge is no longer simply getting children online. It is ensuring that every child including those with intellectual disabilities has the knowledge, support and protections needed to participate safely and confidently in an increasingly digital world.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Media Diversity Institute. Any questions or comments should be addressed to the editor at [email protected] of the Media Diversity Institute.
