How eNdangamuntu Will Help Rwanda Ban Social Media for Under 16

You may have heard about a big discussion around the internet and our young people in Rwanda, if you’ve been following the news lately. Amid a global battle to shield teenagers from the dangers of the internet, a big question has arisen here: Is social media about to be banned for minors under 16 in Rwanda?

Although a formal law has not been passed yet, the truth is, the Rwandan government is in the process of preparing just such a ban.

During a recent and informative conversation on the Rwandan Broadcasting Agency (RBA) breakfast program, Waramutse Rwanda, senior government officials presented a game plan for the future of children’s online safety. Let’s explore the plan, how the government plans to make it happen, and what it will mean for parents in the future.

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The Strategy Laid Out on Waramutse Rwanda

The best insight into this new policy has come from a joint interview on Waramutse Rwanda between Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, and the Minister of Education. It’s understandable that there has been speculation, but if you read between the lines of the strategy presented by these two ministries, it demonstrates the government’s commitment to the issue.

In the broadcast, the ministers made it clear the proposed ban should not be seen as punitive, but as a proactive health and education measure. The presence of both ministries in the broadcast signalled that the decision to limit social media is intricately linked to the health and education of Rwandan students.

The ministers identified a number of key, underlying reasons for their proposed plan:

• Protecting Children’s Well-being: Shielding the youth of the nation from the pressures, bullying and algorithmic manipulation that social media is notorious for.
• Fostering Learning: Blocking extremely distracting apps so that students are not tempted to neglect learning and skill development by endlessly scrolling.
• Online Safety: Providing a shield against grooming, data mining and inappropriate content.

The Enforcement Tool: eNdangamuntu

The big question in the minds of anyone hearing about this is: How do you enforce a social media ban? Around the world, attempts to block children from accessing social media sites have not been successful because adolescents can easily lie about their birth date.

In line with the plan described on RBA, Rwanda will tackle this global issue of age verification with its own new system.

Minister Ingabire stated that the proposed ban on social media for anyone under 16 will be implemented simultaneously with the introduction of Rwanda’s new digital ID, the eNdangamuntu.

Here’s how it will work:

1. Biometric Age Verification: The eNdangamuntu will be linked to a person’s Rwanda ID system. Rather than a person entering their date of birth, social media sites in Rwanda will likely have to verify users’ identity using this system.
2. Closing the Loopholes: With the eNdangamuntu as a government-issued and verified ID, it would be difficult to create “burner” accounts or to lie about their age to access social media apps such as TikTok or Instagram.
3. Helping Parents: The digital system would do all the hard work, taking the burden off parents to be able to monitor every app downloaded by their child.

Balancing Tech and Learning

It is worth mentioning why the Ministry of Education is entering into the planning process. The proposed ban is not a ban of the internet.

The government understands the importance of digital literacy for Rwandan knowledge-based economy. The proposed plan does not ban highly addictive, entertainment-style social media sites. Educational sites, research sites, school portals and other positive sites will not be blocked. The aim is to create a positive and productive online culture, so that young people can harness the benefits of the internet while avoiding the more addictive aspects.

What to Expect Next

It’s normal for parents, teachers and even students to be excited and anxious about this development. At the moment, the ban is in the design phase.

The next step is the national roll-out of the eNdangamuntu. Once the digital ID system is launched, we will see the specifics from the Ministry of ICT, such as dates, laws and which social media platforms will be banned.

It’s not law today, but the plan is in place. Rwanda is already working on a technologically advanced plan to protect its children so that when the time comes, the social media ban will be effective, feasible and in the best interests of the next generation.