The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam George, has voiced growing concern over the rising influence of foreign digital content on African children, cautioning that it is eroding traditional values such as respect for parents and elders.
Addressing the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Mr. George cited data showing that one in three African parents believes their children have lost the traditional value of respecting their parents.
He highlighted that 78% of content consumed by African children on digital platforms originates from foreign sources. “So your kids, your grandkids are spending time and 78 per cent of the content that they listen to is from a foreign platform,” Mr. George noted, emphasizing the prevalence of non-African influences in children’s online consumption.
According to the minister, digital platforms have become dominant in shaping the behaviors and attitudes of young people, often supplanting the traditional institutions and community structures that once guided socialization. “One in three African parents reports that their children have gone wayward. They’ve lost the African value of respect for parents, and that’s coming from online platforms,” he warned.
Mr. George urged parents and guardians to be more vigilant about the digital content their children engage with, arguing that much of it promotes values and behaviors at odds with established family structures and cultural norms. “You just need to take your time and listen to what our kids are watching, your grandchildren are watching online, and you’ll be shocked at what they are being told is the new norm for dealing with parents,” he said.
The minister lamented that respect for elders, communal living, and family-centered decision-making, central pillars of African identity, are increasingly under threat. “For millennia, the African identity has been a respect for the elderly and our communal living. Today, the new generation of Africans has no respect for the elderly and family councils, and elders and community ceremonies are now a thing of folklore and a distant past,” Mr. George observed.
He concluded by pointing out that digital platforms have become the primary source of socialization for many young people across the continent, a shift that has sparked ongoing debate among policymakers, educators, and cultural leaders about the broader impact of technology and social media on African family life and values.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com