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Is Your Child Old Enough to be on Social Media

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The current generation of kids are amazingly precocious. Their wide-eyed curiosity and seemingly insatiable desire to constantly learn new things means that, your child is probably active on social media at an early age.

According to the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, an online and offline e-commerce outfit, while there are actually age requirements for social media use, most parents are oblivious of this and do not know if their children are indeed old enough to be on social media.

During last year’s observance of Safer Internet Day (a global event encouraging “safe and responsible” use of the internet), a study revealed that more than three-quarters of children aged 10 to 12 had admitted to having social media accounts, despite being below the stipulated age limit. Another research –  The Social Age Study – discovered that approximately 59% of children have already used a social network by the time they are 10.

Facebook has the most users under the age of 13— 52 per cent of 8 to 16-year-olds admitting they ignored Facebook’s age restriction.

As seen from the foregoing, a worrying dimension is the fact that, most kids on social media may have resorted to lying about their real ages when opening the accounts in order to by-pass the age limit.

As a result, these young ones inadvertently get exposed to harmful effects such as cyber bullying, grooming, offensive language and pornography, among others.

If you are one of the blissfully ignorant parents whose under-age child is probably active on various social media platforms, then you need to know which of these are off limits.

According to Yudala, here are the age requirements for a few of the most popular social media platforms:

Twitter/Instagram
 Around the period it came on stream, the minimum age requirement for anyone signing up for a new account on Twitter was 13.
This was included in the network’s terms of service. Fast forward to 2009, this was removed and relocated to Twitter’s privacy policy, a portion of which states: “Our Services are not directed to persons under 13.
If you become aware that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us at [email protected].
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we take steps to remove such information and terminate the child’s account.”
Same age limit of 13 applies to Instagram whose policy states that: “Instagram requires everyone to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account (in some jurisdictions, this age limit may be higher).”
If your child is below the age of 13, he or she has no business operating a Twitter or Instagram account. Your involvement may actually be necessary in checking your child’s activity on both platforms because, despite the ban on under-13s, Twitter and Instagram never actually ask the user to confirm their birth date.

Facebook/Snapchat
 Facebook also has the age limit pegged at 13 and above for potential users looking to create an account.
The service also boldly dictates how to report an account belonging to someone under 13. However, Facebook adds an extra layer of control by bringing up refusal messages if a user types in an under-age date.
For Snapchat, the minimum age is 13 as well. This is in compliance with the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Snapchat works in the same way as Facebook by asking for a date of birth upon sign up, and if the birth date indicates that the user is under 13, they’re not allowed to create an account.

YouTube
YouTube requires account holders to be 18, but a 13-year-old can sign up with a parent’s permission. Furthermore, when a YouTube video has been age-restricted, a warning screen is displayed and only users who are 18 or older can watch it.
Age-restricted videos are not visible to users who are logged out, are under 18 years of age, or have Restricted Mode enabled.

WhatsApp
Unarguably one of the most widely used social media platforms, the minimum age of use for WhatsApp was previously 16 but it has now been changed to 13.
The Facebook-owned service, nevertheless admits that, like many age restrictions on social media apps, some children may ignore the age requirement and sign up for WhatsApp when they’re younger.
However, the responsibility for this is passed to the parent as WhatsApp’s policy states that it is up to the parent to decide if they are comfortable with this or not.


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E-Business

NDPC Commits to Balancing Data Privacy, Protection Information

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Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has expressed its commitment to balance information around data privacy and protection.

NDPC Commits to Balancing Data Privacy, Protection Information

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, NDPC, stated this in Abuja, at the National Data Privacy Summit with the theme, “Privacy in the Era of Emerging Technologies,” organised by the commission.

Olatunji said the NDPC, at the moment, was looking at balancing information around data privacy and protection.

“What we are doing is just to look at how to balance information around privacy and protection, which is really important, because as we are innovating, at the same time, we have to consider issues around privacy and protection,” he stated.

He added that the commission has been very bold in taking risks that would bring about growth.

“Our starting point is growing at a very alarming rate, and we are not afraid of anything. We can take risks. And that is why a lot is happening in Nigeria, and this is the level of clarity,” he explained.

In his address, Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),  stated that Internet of Things holds promise for Nigeria’s economy.

The EVC, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS), noted that, “in an era in which digital assets, Internet of Things, future digital computing and other transformative technologies are key, and both a cornerstone of building trust for the adoption and a prerequisite for sustainable progress.

“Emerging technologies hold immense promise for Nigeria’s grand economy, but they also introduce complex risks to personal and individual rights.

“So, balancing innovation through post-ethical safeguards and public trust is the first step to ensuring that global digital advancement benefits all Nigerians without compromising their privacy or their security,” he added.

“As we just heard from the Nigeria Police, telecom operators have a vast amount of sensitive historical information daily, including connectivity apps and collaboration on privacy, security, and number protection, both to their and their inheritors,” he said.

Dr. Bako Shurkuk, commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Plateau State, who represented Caleb Mutfwang, Governor of Plateau State, said, emerging technologies can be harnessed to attain sustainable growth.

 


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OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.

As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.

Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”

OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.


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Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

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Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.

Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.

According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.

To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.

The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.

The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.

“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.


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