The use of social networks by minor it is a topic of great topical interest and concern. Recently, Action and Italia Viva presented a bill to regulate minors' access to social media. This initiative, led by Matthew Richetti, parent company of Action-Iv, aims to protect minors from the potential risks associated with the use of social media.
Topics of this article:
The Calenda-IV proposal to limit social media access to minors and the implications for privacy and security
The current situation: a digital “far west”.
Carlo Calenda has described the current situation as a digital "far west", in which the families are in a vulnerable position. 81% of teenagers use Instagram, signing up for social media starts as early as age 11 and over half of young people spend more than 3 hours a day on their smartphones. This social media addiction can have negative effects including trough, disorders power supply and sleep, e cyberbullying.
The bill: raise the minimum age and implement controls
The bill presented by Action-Iv provides for various measures to deal with this problem. In particular, it proposes to raising the age of consent to data processing necessary for social media access from 14 to 15 years. Furthermore, prohibits access to children under 13 and allows the use of social networks between 13 and 15 years only with parental consent. The proposal also establishes the implementation of an age certification process, through a mechanism that verifies the presence of the user's personal requirements for access to the platform.
Read also: Less use of social networks leads to better health | I study
A model based on French law
The bill is inspired by the European Union Regulation and the recent French law which provides for a ban on the use of social media by children under 15 without parental consent. In the event of violations, fines are imposed in France for social platforms of up to 1% of turnover.
Age verification: a matter of privacy and security
The proposed Action-Iv emphasizes the importance of an age verification system that protects the privacy of minors. The idea is to entrust the age verification to a third party, such as an operator or an accredited identity provider, who provides an anonymous registry credential. This system would ensure effective verification of the age of users, would minimize the data transmitted to the service providers and would preserve anonymity, certifying age without releasing any user identity data.
The need for an information campaign for access to social networks for minors
Calenda stressed that technical solutions can be discussed and that one thorough parliamentary discussion could lead to different and better solutions. He also highlighted the need for a massive information campaign to address the problem. Mara Carfagna stressed the importance of protect preteens, especially vulnerable to certain negative influences on social media.
