Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, has proposed a policy that would require individuals to present a National Identity Card or driver’s license before accessing pornographic websites in order to prevent minors from viewing sexually explicit content online.
The minister stated at the Fourth Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Values, and Sovereignty that the government is taking the policy into consideration as part of larger programs meant to protect children from harmful digital content and encourage responsible internet use.
He suggested Ghana follow the UK’s age-verification policy for pornographic websites in order to improve kid protection protocols.
“It is important that we understand the danger that we face with pornography. We don’t need to rewrite the script. Today, in the United Kingdom, for you to access a pornographic website, you need to provide your driver’s licence so they can determine that you are 18 years old,” he said.
The minister stated that worries about the effects of pornography and the oversexualization of youth have made such actions necessary.
The plan is anticipated to be brought to Cabinet for review, according to Sam George.
“We are working towards taking this to Cabinet to ensure that before anyone accesses an X-rated site, they must provide either a driver’s licence or a national ID card. This will help us identify who is accessing such sites and prevent children from being exposed to that content,” he stated.
He warned that early exposure to sexually explicit content could have a detrimental impact on children’s growth, morals, and ability to make decisions.
The minister maintained that the children of Africa are the target of the conflict rather than adults.
“The fight against Africa is not against those of us sitting in this room. We were a lost case. The fight is against our children,” he said.
“Our children must be protected and safe. We were protected by our parents in an African family setting. We must do the same for our children and grandchildren,” he added.
He explained that one of his main justifications for introducing the Family Values Bill with his colleagues was that they were defending the innocence of Ghanaian children.
As digital access continues to grow throughout the nation, the minister believes that safeguarding children from unsuitable online content should continue to be a top concern.
If the Cabinet approves the plan, Ghana would become one of the only countries in Africa to mandate age verification for websites with adult content. Before being able to access X-rated websites, internet users would have to provide identity documentation proving they are at least eighteen years old.
When the plan will be submitted to Cabinet and when implementation may start were not specified by the minister.
Source: newsthemegh.com