Analysis of the constructions of children and the internet in Kenya and Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article uses Kenya and Ghana as case studies to analyse the construction of children, information and communication technologies (ICT) and the internet in Africa. The article discusses the interaction of girl-child protection and media risk discourses and the implication for children, girls, and women in Africa. It highlights the positioning of children in relation to ICT and the internet in terms of gender, age, class, and other demographic factors. It further examines whether, how and which children are constructed as agents or victims, and the ways in which their agency/victimhood is discussed. The article finds dominant child protection and media risk discourses focusing on the risk posed by the internet for children, particularly girls, as the main drivers of the representation of the problem. It also offers a critique of the solutions proposed to addressing the problems presented by the internet for children for taking a homogenising as well as a legalistic and regulatory approach. The article concludes by problematizing these problem representations and solutions, as well as the silences and the ways in which the in problems can be approached differently. IMPACT SUMMARY Prior State of Knowledge: A lot of research documents the realisation of children’s rights provided by the UN Convention on the rights of the Child. However, there is a dearth of research on the digital rights of children particularly in Africa. Novel Contributions: Through analysis of policy and institutional perspectives relating to children, ICTs and the internet in Kenya and Ghana, this article offers a critical approach to the construction of children and ICTs in policy and practice. Practical Implications: The article counters dominant narratives that may affect children’s ability to access and benefit from the internet. It advocates for policies and programs that seek to understand children’s online experiences and support children to engage constructively with the internet.