The Government of Ghana is considering the introduction of a new digital safety policy that would require individuals to verify their identity before gaining access to pornographic websites, a move authorities say is aimed primarily at shielding children from explicit online material.
The proposal was disclosed by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, during the 4th African Inter Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values, where delegates discussed issues relating to child protection, cultural identity and the future of family institutions across the continent.
According to the Minister, the policy framework is currently being prepared for submission to Cabinet and, if approved, could compel users seeking access to adult content platforms to authenticate their age and identity by presenting either a driver’s licence or a Ghana Card.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Mr George said the measure is intended to prevent minors from accessing explicit material on the internet by ensuring that only verified adults are able to enter such websites.
“We’re working on going to Cabinet on that to make sure that before you access any X rated site, you must put either your driver’s licence or your national ID card so that we know who you are and who is going to that site to prevent children from being exposed to such content,” he stated.
The Minister pointed to developments in the United Kingdom, where age verification systems have been introduced as part of broader efforts to restrict underage access to online pornography. He argued that Ghana could adopt a similar approach as part of its wider digital governance and child protection agenda.
“Today in the United Kingdom, for you to access a pornographic website, you need to put your driver’s licence for them to be able to determine that you are 18 years,” he said.
Mr George maintained that unrestricted exposure to sexually explicit content during childhood can have profound consequences for a young person’s emotional development, judgement and social values. According to him, early exposure to such material has the potential to influence behaviour patterns and shape perceptions in ways that may be detrimental to healthy development.
“This is the real threat. Because when a child is oversexualised at an early age, it affects their development, it affects their thinking, it affects even their morality and their values and their standards,” he added.
The proposed identity verification requirement formed part of a broader conversation on the protection of children and the preservation of what the Minister described as African family values in an increasingly digital world.
During his address, Mr George also reiterated his support for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti LGBTQ plus Bill. He argued that one of the principal motivations behind the legislation is the safeguarding of children and the protection of traditional family structures.
“When my colleagues and I in Ghana introduced the Family Values Bill, one of our key arguments has been that we’re fighting for the innocence of Ghanaian children because our children must be protected,” he said.
The Communications Minister further stressed that Ghana has a collective responsibility to uphold its cultural heritage and family centred values while adapting to the opportunities and challenges presented by rapid technological advancement, insisting that future generations should inherit a society that balances digital freedom with social responsibility.
