In Malawi, children are no longer just consumers of social media, they are creators, broadcasters and influencers in their own right. One just has to scroll through TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or even Instagram and you will see them: children as young as seven posting videos that attract thousands of views, a swirl of comments and sometimes, harsh criticism.
Unsuspecting and unsupervised, most of these young creators, who we cannot expose owing to their age, mimic viral trends from around the globe without understanding their meaning or the consequences.
Some content includes sexualized dance moves, abusive language, bullying or defamatory statements aimed at peers, teachers and public figures.
About a year ago, in one notable incident, an up and coming entertainer had to be summoned by police in Blantyre after it transpired that he was the one behind the production of viral social media content by a young girl, who, going by her age, could hardly comprehend the adult content she was involved in and the ramifications such acts could have on her life.
“Creativity is not the problem,” says digital media analyst Dennis Imaan. “The issue is the lack of boundaries and guidance. Children are navigating a space built for adults, without rules to protect them.”
What might have begun as harmless dance challenges, lip-syncs and comedy skits has morphed into a digital phenomenon fraught with social, moral and legal dilemmas.
Child rights activist Memory Ngosi warns of the psychological impact, calling for swift action to deal with the vice.
“When children produce content beyond their emotional and cognitive maturity, the consequences can be traumatic. We urgently need clear guidelines to protect them.”
Psychologist Madalo Haji adds that repeated exposure to abusive or explicit content, whether creating it or consuming it, can affect a child’s emotional development, behaviour and sense of identity.
The hazards are real. Reports of cyberbullying, unsolicited adult messages and online shaming are rising, often discovered by parents only after the damage has been done. To safeguard minors, this investigation did not include direct interviews with children or their parents, prioritizing safety over attribution.
The surge in harmful child-generated content exposes a critical legal and regulatory gap: who is accountable when a minor posts explicit, defamatory, or abusive material online?
Globally, countries are acting. Australia now bars children under 16 from major social media platforms, citing cyber bullying and mental health concerns.
France requires parental consent for users under 15, while the UK enforces strict regulations compelling platforms to provide child-safe online environments. These policies illustrate the urgent need for age-based protections where platforms fail to self-regulate.
The question is: where does Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)’s authority begin and end? What practical steps are being taken to protect children online? Who bears responsibility when minors post harmful content?
While global social media platforms are not regulated in the same way as local broadcasters, MACRA says its role is to promote a safe and responsible digital environment by setting ICT standards, raising online safety awareness and coordinating responses to cyber incidents through Malawi CERT.
In a written response, Macra’s Head of International Relations and Corporate Communications, Limbani Nsapato, said the regulator does not monitor or censor individual social media accounts, but works with government agencies, platforms and law enforcement agencies when harmful or illegal content involving children such as abuse, exploitation or cyberbullying is identified.
Meanwhile, parents face their own challenges. Some overlook risks in pursuit of fame or potential income, while others struggle with digital literacy, supervising children who are often more tech-savvy than themselves.
Social media companies maintain they enforce policies on child safety, age verification, and harmful content but enforcement is weak locally. Age restrictions are easily bypassed and damaging content can linger online for days, if not weeks.
Malawi is on the path of digital transformation, but the question is no longer whether children will be online, it is how safely and responsibly they can participate.
For now, young Malawian content creators continue to press “record,” often unaware that fleeting digital fame can carry lifelong consequences.
