ID verification for porn sites to protect children; not monitor adults – Sam George

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has defended the government’s consideration of a policy that would require individuals to present a National Identity Card or Driver’s Licence before accessing pornographic websites in Ghana.

According to the Minister, the proposed measure is not intended to monitor, track or publicly expose individuals who visit adult websites, but rather to strengthen safeguards aimed at protecting children from harmful online content.

The proposal was first announced by the Minister during the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Values and Sovereignty held on Thursday, June 4, where discussions focused on issues affecting family systems, child protection and national values in the digital age.

Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, June 6, Sam George explained that the government’s primary concern is the growing ease with which minors are able to access explicit content on the internet.

He noted that authorities have received numerous complaints from parents who are increasingly worried about the impact of unrestricted online content on children.

“If you sit where we sit and you see and get the complaints that we get from parents. One of the things that broke my heart was a mother who came broken. Her seven-year-old son was addicted to pornography and how he found a pornographic site. He was watching a children’s cartoon on YouTube, and an advert appeared and he wanted to skip it, and it took him to the site, and he watched it and got addicted.

“And so we want to introduce protection for our children and so we have not said we are going to publish the list of persons visiting porn sites. What we are introducing is not new. The US and UK need verification to access X-rated sites.”