Ghanaians may soon be required to verify their identity before accessing pornographic websites if a new government proposal receives Cabinet approval.
Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, revealed that plans are underway to introduce age and identity verification measures aimed at preventing children from viewing explicit online content.
Speaking at the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values, the Ningo-Prampram MP said the policy is currently being developed and will be submitted to Cabinet for consideration.
Under the proposed framework, individuals seeking access to adult websites could be required to provide a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s licence or a Ghana Card, before being allowed entry.
“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 said.
Sam George pointed to developments in the United Kingdom, where age-verification measures have been introduced for users attempting to access pornographic content online.
“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 stated.
The minister said the unrestricted availability of pornography poses a significant risk to children, warning that early exposure can influence their growth, attitudes and personal values.
“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 said.
He further connected the proposed restrictions to wider efforts to safeguard children and uphold what he described as African family values.
During the conference, Sam George also reiterated his backing for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill. He argued that protecting children remains one of the central reasons behind the legislation.
“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.
According to the Communications Minister, Ghana must continue taking steps to preserve its cultural and family values for future generations.
