GREECE MULLS CURBING SOCIAL MEDIA USE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15

Fri 13 December 2024:

Greek is mulling reining in social media use for children younger than 15 with a “kids wallet,” according to the country’s family minister.

Sofia Zacharaki told SKAI TV on Wednesday that the measure is to protect children from the dangers of unsupervised internet and social media as she drew attention to concerns about digital addiction and isolation caused by it social media.

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The wallet will permit parents to block specific websites by using keywords and monitor their children’s online traffic.

Banning social media entirely is unrealistic, but increased oversight is essential as children often retreat into virtual worlds, which expose them to major risks, including depression and detachment from reality, said Zacharaki.

“Parents express serious concerns but are reluctant to limit their children’s socialization through technology. There is a fine line between ensuring safety and allowing freedom. Technology can be both a threat and a tool for safeguarding against misuse,” she said.

A number of countries have promised to curb social media use among children through legislation, though Australia’s proposal appears to be one of the most stringent.

France last year proposed a ban on social media for those under 15, though users were able to avoid the ban with parental consent.

Earlier this year, the US’s Surgeon-General Dr Vivek Murthy called on Congress to require social media platforms to carry warning labels detailing their effects on young people’s lives, similar to those now mandatory on cigarette boxes.

The US also requires technology companies to seek parental consent to access the data of children under 13, leading most social media platforms to ban those under that age from accessing their services. Analysts, however, have previously expressed doubt that it was technically possible to enforce such a ban.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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