The Tanzanian government has raised strong concern about the increasing use of smartphones among children, highlighting the risks linked to online abuse and exposure to harmful content.

Speaking in Parliament during the 2026/27 budget presentation, Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Dorothy Gwajima revealed that about 67 percent of children aged 12 to 17 are now using smartphones.This shows how fast digital access is growing among young people in the country.More worrying is that around 4 percent of these children have already experienced some form of online abuse.

Even though the percentage may look small, it represents thousands of children facing dangers such as cyberbullying, exposure to explicit materials, and possible exploitation by online predators.

The situation reflects a wider trend seen in many developing countries, where access to technology is expanding faster than safety awareness and protection systems.In response, the government has started a national programme to strengthen child protection in digital spaces.So far, 516 facilitators have been trained on online safety and have reached over 1.8 million students across all regions of mainland Tanzania.The programme has also trained hundreds of teachers and school staff, helping to build a support system for guiding children on safe internet use.

The training focuses on key areas such as recognising online threats, protecting personal information, understanding privacy settings, and reporting harmful content.Authorities believe that education and awareness are the most effective tools to reduce online risks.

The government plans to continue expanding these efforts as smartphone use keeps growing, ensuring children can benefit from technology while staying safe.