Veteran Ghanaian actress Christiana Awuni has sparked a fresh debate over the influence of TikTok and other social media platforms after calling for the government to consider banning them.
In remarks reported on September 3, 2026, Awuni expressed strong concern about what she described as the growing culture of insults, disrespect and harmful behaviour on social media, particularly among young people.
“If I had the chance, I would tell the government to ban TikTok and the others because they didn’t come to help us.”
Awuni reportedly said social media had become a source of frustration for her, arguing that although people can legitimately use platforms such as TikTok to make money, she believes many others use them to insult and disrespect people.
Awuni’s concern about youth behaviour
The actress particularly criticised what she sees as increasing disrespect towards older people online.
She questioned why young people would use social media to insult or attack elders who have done nothing to them, linking her concerns to traditional expectations of respect.
Awuni also referred to the biblical instruction to honour one’s father and mother, arguing that respect should extend beyond biological parents to older members of society.
Her comments have therefore moved the conversation beyond TikTok itself and into a wider debate about social media culture, freedom of expression, parenting and changing attitudes among Ghanaian youth.
Should Ghana ban TikTok?
Awuni’s proposal raises a much bigger question: Would banning TikTok actually solve the problems associated with social media?
TikTok has become an important platform for entertainment, advertising, entrepreneurship, education and content creation. For many young Ghanaians, it is also a route to building audiences and generating income.
At the same time, concerns about cyberbullying, online harassment, misinformation, scams, harmful challenges and abusive behaviour have become increasingly prominent.
That creates a difficult policy question for government.
A complete ban would restrict access to a platform used for both harmful and legitimate purposes. Alternative approaches could include stronger digital-literacy education, parental guidance, enforcement of existing laws and greater accountability for abusive online behaviour.
A debate about more than TikTok
Awuni’s position reflects a recurring concern among older generations that social media is changing how young people communicate and relate to authority.
But critics of a blanket ban could argue that the problem is not necessarily the technology itself but how people use it.
The challenge for Ghana may therefore be finding a balance between protecting young people from online harm and preserving the benefits of digital platforms.
Awuni’s comments have already reignited that conversation, leaving Ghanaians with a question that goes beyond one actress’s opinion:
Should TikTok be banned in Ghana, or should society focus on regulating behaviour and educating users?
Verification note
GhanaMedia.net has independently corroborated the reported remarks through current reporting published on September 3, 2026. The specific quotation and accompanying comments are attributed to Christiana Awuni; they should not be interpreted as an official government proposal to ban TikTok.
