Tag: The Room of Safety
By Marina Madale, Executive: Sustainability & Shared Value, MTN Group and Monde Twala, Senior Vice President, Paramount Africa
“The digital world is no longer a place young people visit, it’s where they live.” – Marina Madale
“When we use platforms like MTV to spark difficult conversations, we shift from entertainment to real impact.” – Monde Twala
Last week, MTN and MTV Base launched The Room of Safety with the premiere of its first episode, “Why Internet Safety Matters”—a bold and timely response to the evolving risks and responsibilities facing Africa’s youngest digital citizens. With AI companions on the rise and social feeds curating idealised versions of reality, today’s online experiences are more immersive, personal, and emotionally charged than ever before.
While AI, deepfakes, and virtual influencers may sound like Silicon Valley phenomena, their consequences are playing out daily in African households, often on entry-level smartphones with little adult oversight.
The Invisible Friend on the Other Side of the Screen
Across MTN markets, over 70% of internet users are under the age of 30. In MTN-commissioned research with IPSOS across three African countries, 1 in 3 youth reported interacting with an AI companion, chatbot, or virtual assistant, many for emotional connection, curiosity, or entertainment.
“Young people turn to these AI tools in search of support, validation, even companionship,” explains Monde Twala. “But we must ask, are these systems equipped to deal with emotional complexity, or are they simply mimicking empathy to keep users engaged?”
Twala adds that The Room of Safety was intentionally brought to life through MTV Base, one of the continent’s most influential youth platforms: “We wanted to use a trusted cultural voice not just to entertain, but to educate. These conversations can’t live in policy papers, they need to be in playlists, timelines and conversations with real-life resonance.”
Why It Matters Now
In the first episode, young people reflect on the emotional pressure of navigating online life. “Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s a quote I live by,” shares Yanda Woods in the episode, capturing the silent impact that curated perfection can have on young people’s mental health. Foyin Ogunrombi adds, “The difference between real success and the curated version we see on social media is exactly that—social media is heavily curated.”
In a digital landscape where perfection is the norm and imperfections are hidden, many young users are left feeling inadequate, isolated, and increasingly drawn toward online artificial relationships that don’t always serve their emotional needs.
A 2023 UNICEF study on Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa found that 47% of adolescents in urban centres had encountered harmful or inappropriate content online, often pushed by opaque algorithms designed for engagement, not care.
Critical Thinking Is Now a Survival Skill
“We’re no longer just teaching digital access—we’re teaching digital discernment,” says Marina Madale. “Today’s youth must know how to ask: Who built this? Why is it suggesting this? Is it helping me, or harvesting me?”
She recalls a question raised: “If an AI bot gives you advice that makes you feel worse, is it your fault for listening?” It’s a troubling thought, but one that reflects the confusion many young users face when lines between real and artificial support are blurred.
The Room of Safety encourages not just awareness, but self-inquiry, empowering youth to approach digital platforms with more confidence, agency, and understanding.
One Simple Act That Could Save a Life
One of the most powerful takeaways from Episode 1 is the reminder that you are enough, even without the filter. In a world that constantly measures worth through likes, follows, and curated perfection, the ability to believe in yourself, without needing external validation, is a radical act of self-preservation.
TheRoom of Safety encourages young people to turn inward for affirmation and to trust their instincts, rather than relying on AI companions or online approval to feel seen. Building self-worth from within is not easy, but it is essential, and often begins with honest conversations, not with machines, but with real people: a teacher, a caregiver, a sibling, a friend.
To support this, MTN’s campaign includes direct links to mental health services, child protection resources, and regional helplines across its markets. These are not just add-ons, they are lifelines.
A New Digital Mandate for Africa
With the youngest and fastest-growing online population in the world, Africa faces a pivotal moment. The task ahead is not just to connect, but to protect. The Room of Safety is a rallying cry, not to fear technology, but to shape it with intention and empathy.
“When platforms like MTV are used to spark difficult conversations, we move from passive awareness to real impact,” says Monde Twala. “This campaign is about creating spaces that are not only engaging, but safe and transformative.”
Marina Madale concludes, “The same technology that threatens can also be used to empower, if we give our children the tools to engage with it wisely. The Room of Safety is just the beginning of that journey.”
The next episode will explore cyberbullying, where to draw the line between banter and harm, and how to speak up when it matters most.
Until then, we are left with a question:
If a young person is turning to a chatbot to feel seen, will the digital world they find be a bridge, or a blindfold?
The answer may shape the next generation of Africa’s digital future.
One click can change a life: new series empowers youth to report online harm
MTN, Africa’s leading mobile network operator, has partnered with MTV Base, the number one youth and pop culture brand in Africa, to launch the Room of Safety, an innovative, youth-led movement to raise awareness about online child safety and promote positive digital behaviours across the continent.
The collaboration forms part of MTN’s Help Children Be Children campaign and leverages the reach and influence of platforms like MTV, MTV Base, and MTV’s digital channels to drive meaningful change. Central to the initiative is the launch of Room of Safety, a powerful 10-part short-form series premiering on 20 July 2025 at 15:00 on MTV Base, DStv channel 322, and on @MTVBaseSouth and @MTVBaseAfrica social handles.
Through relatable storytelling and youth-driven content, the series aims to spark dialogue, raise awareness, and equip young people with the knowledge and tools to navigate online risks. With its multi-platform distribution, the campaign is positioned to reach millions of young Africans, catalyse community conversations, and influence safer digital behaviour across the continent.
The series features Paramount’s Culture Squad member, Craig Nobela, alongside a dynamic lineup of young African influencers including Yanda Woods, LordKez, Foyin Ongunrombi, Azana, MajorSteez, Melissa Nayimuli, Mawelele and Naledi.
“As technology evolves, we’re seeing serious risks, AI misuse, online stalking, and exploitation, mirror and sometimes intensify the harm we once associated only with the physical world. At MTN, we believe access must go hand-in-hand with protection. Through our partnership with MTV Base on Room of Safety, we’re amplifying the voices of young people to speak to, and stand up for, each other, creating a safer, more conscious digital future,” said Marina Madale, MTN Group Executive Sustainability and Shared Value.
“For two decades, MTV Base has been at the forefront of shaping youth culture and using our platform to spotlight issues that matter. From HIV awareness to gender equality and mental health, we’ve consistently championed content that drives change. With Room of Safety, we’re continuing that legacy, empowering young people to navigate the digital world safely and confidently. This partnership with MTN is a powerful step in protecting the next generation and ensuring their voices are heard,” said Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and GM of Editorial at Paramount Africa.
A growing concern across Africa
Recent research conducted by Ipsos in partnership with MTN across Nigeria, South Sudan, and Zambia reveals alarming trends in online behaviour among children aged 8–17:
- 1 in 10 children in Nigeria and South Sudan reported being harassed online.
- 20% of children in South Sudan reported being bullied online — the highest among the three countries.
- In Nigeria, 79% of adolescents aged 13–17 spend more than an hour online daily, increasing their exposure to risky online behaviour.
- 30–40% of teens across the three countries admitted to adding strangers to their messaging apps.
- In Juba, children who spend more than an hour online daily are 17 times more likely to engage in risky online behaviour.
These findings underscore the urgent need for digital education and protective mechanisms tailored to African youth.
Empowering youth and parents alike
MTN is committed to creating a safer digital environment for children through a holistic approach that extends beyond awareness to action. As part of its Help Children Be Children initiative, MTN is supporting the strengthening of in-country reporting portals and child helplines, while also working to make the Africa Online Safety Portal accessible across the continent, particularly in countries that lack national platforms.
The reporting portal enables users to report URLs containing CSAM, which are reviewed by expert analysts and removed, often within an hour. This initiative is especially critical in regions where only 20–22% of children are aware of existing child protection portals, yet over 80% want service providers to offer ways to report abuse directly.
By bridging these gaps, MTN together with MTV Base aims to ensure that every African child, regardless of location, can access vital safety information, report harmful content, and connect to support services that protect their digital wellbeing.
A call to action
Protecting children online in Africa demands urgent, collective action. We must close the data gap, fast-track fit-for-purpose regulation, scale digital literacy in schools, and strengthen collaboration across sectors. With emerging threats like AI misuse and online exploitation, the time to act is now.
Through Room of Safety, MTN and MTV Base are using their reach to turn awareness into action, equipping youth and those who support them with the tools to stay safe, speak up, and stand together. We call on young people, parents, educators, and leaders to be part of building a safer digital Africa for the next generation.
To find out more about child online protection, visit: www.mtn.com/child-online-protection/
#HelpChildrenBeChildren #RoomOfSafety #MTN #MTVBase