The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam George, has raised concerns about the growing influence of foreign digital content on African children, warning that it is gradually eroding traditional values passed down by parents and elders within communities.

According to him, available data indicate that one in three African parents believe their children have drifted away from the traditional African value of respecting their parents.

His comments come amid ongoing discussions among educators, policymakers and cultural leaders about the impact of digital technologies and social media on family life, cultural identity and values across the continent.

Speaking at the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values on Thursday, June 4, 2026, he noted that the rapid consumption of foreign content on digital platforms is exposing children to norms and behaviours that are often inconsistent with African cultural values.

“Seventy-eight per cent of African children’s content comes from foreign platforms. So your kids, your grandkids are spending time, and 78 per cent of the content that they listen to is from a foreign platform,” he said.

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He further called for greater scrutiny of the content children consume online, arguing that many digital platforms are promoting ideas and behaviour that challenge 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 stated.

He noted that digital platforms have become a dominant force in shaping the attitudes and behaviour of young people, often replacing the traditional institutions and community structures that historically played a central role in socialisation.


“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 said.

He stated that respect for elders, communal living and family-centred decision-making have long been central pillars of African identity, but warned that these values are increasingly coming under pressure.

“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,” he said.

Sam George further argued that digital platforms have increasingly become the primary source of socialisation for many young people across Africa.
“Digital platforms have inserted themselves as the primary socialisation background for a whole generation,” he added.

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