Vanuatu currently has no law restricting underage children from accessing social media platforms, as concerns grow over the impact of mobile phones and online content on young people.

Telecommunications, Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator Market Competition and Consumer Affairs Manager Roger Jimmy said while anyone can use a mobile phone, there is currently no law allowing authorities to restrict access to online platforms.

Jimmy said the regulator is instead focused on consumer protection and raising awareness about the safe use of telecommunications and online services.

“Anyone can use a mobile phone, but when it comes to what people can access, there is currently no law restricting that. We do not restrict anyone from using a mobile phone. From the consumer protection side, we continue to carry out awareness on how people can use these services safely, but for now, awareness is what we can provide. There is no law yet to restrict someone from using a mobile phone.”

Calls for Greater Parental Supervision

Church leader Pastor Dorolyne Lalwoyer, who works closely with schools, said excessive reliance on mobile phones and online platforms could affect children’s ability to think independently.

She said young people can easily access answers and information online without exercising their own thinking skills.

“Mobile phones give access to everything. They can go on YouTube, Facebook or other social media platforms and find answers to their questions. As a result, they may not exercise their thinking capacity because they can simply copy and paste.”

Community member Nicholls Gisele also raised concerns about the amount of time children spend on phones and the impact this can have on family life.

She said children can also gain access to inappropriate content online if their phone and internet use are not properly supervised.

Gisele said parents have a responsibility to monitor their children, particularly those under the age of 18, and encouraged families to make use of parental control features available on phones and online platforms.

“A child under 18 is still under our care as parents. I encourage parents to always be involved in their children’s lives. When it comes to the internet and social media, there are parental control features that can be used to restrict applications, searches, internet usage and phone access. They are easy to use and can be very helpful.”

The concerns come as other countries move to introduce tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media, including Australia, which has introduced measures targeting social media access for children under 16.