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The Mauritanian government is developing a national framework to regulate minors’ access to social media platforms. The initiative, presented on Wednesday, September 16, by the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Employment, Sports and Civic Service, Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Louly, aims to implement legal and technical mechanisms to protect children and adolescents from digital risks.
The proposed measures address concerns such as cyberbullying, digital blackmail, child grooming, exposure to harmful content, commercial exploitation of data, and the addictive design of certain applications. The government plans to classify digital services by risk level and restrict content based on age groups. Potential controls include requirements for parental authorization, the disabling of recommendation algorithms for minors, limitations on infinite scrolling and autoplay features, and a ban on targeted advertising toward children.
Additional restrictions under consideration include limiting messages from unknown users, regulating live streaming by minors, and establishing periods of digital silence during nighttime hours. The government also intends to launch awareness programs for families and educators, alongside a reporting mechanism for digital violence and exploitation.
Minister Ould Louly noted that these measures are necessary given that nearly half of Mauritania’s population is under the age of 18 and internet usage is widespread. The Council of Ministers has approved the creation of an inter-ministerial commission, which will include the National Agency for the Population Registry and Secure Documents and the Data Protection Authority. This commission is tasked with drafting a framework law and evaluating technical methods to restrict access to high-risk applications.
Furthermore, the government announced plans to introduce legislation to prohibit online gambling and betting. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance child protection in the digital environment while promoting responsible internet usage.
Article source: lecalame.info | Image credit: lecalame.info
