MADRID: Spain on Tuesday said it will introduce several measures to protect children from the harmful effects of social media.
Among other things, these include:
• Parental controls on smartphones by default
• Criminalising the creation of “deepfake” AI-generated images involving sexual content and sharing of pornographic material with children,
• Raising the age of data protection consent from 14 to 16
• Introduction of a digital restraining order – banning certain people from contacting others online
“We want to give families the peace of mind that when their children are in a digital environment, they can be sure that the government of Spain cares for them,” Justice Minister Feliz Bolanos told journalists.
The bill has to be approved by parliament to become law.
The European Union’s sweeping Digital Services Act (DSA) brought in last year includes some specific protections for children. But countries are also generating their own legislation to respond to public concerns.
France made a parental control available by default on all internet-connected devices in September 2022.
Britain introduced an Online Safety Act that came into force in October last year. This requires platforms such as Meta’s Facebook or Instagram and Alphabet’s YouTube to remove illegal content. They must also be effective in checking their users are at least 13 years old.
The potential risks for children of using social media are still being investigated and debated.
In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General said that while social media offered some benefits, there were “ample indicators” it could also harm the mental health of children.
Social media use may cause and perpetuate body image issues, affect eating behaviours and sleep quality. It could also lead to social comparison and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls, he warned in an advisory.
Spain also intends to roll out a national education campaign for children, teachers and healthcare staff on navigating social media, Bolanos said.
(REUTERS)
