Caribbean leaders have agreed to develop a regional approach to regulating children's access to social media, signalling CARICOM's intent to craft shared legislation and policy on the issue. According to Antigua News Room, the decision emerged from the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in Saint Lucia.
At the meeting, Heads of Government agreed to examine common rules governing children's use of social media platforms. The summit's communiqué confirmed that Guyana's President will lead efforts to explore regional legislation, while Grenada, in its role as lead Head of Government for Science and Information Technology, will oversee the development of guidelines for a regional policy framework.
The communiqué does not specify what particular measures could be introduced. The initiative nonetheless arrives amid growing international debate over children's online safety, including concerns around age verification, exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and the mental health effects of excessive social media use on young people.
If adopted, a regional framework could harmonise how CARICOM member states address children's social media access and provide a coordinated policy response to the challenges posed by digital platforms.
