President Maia Sandu proposes extensive consultations, with the participation of parents, teachers, and health specialists, to identify solutions for protecting children in the online environment and to decide whether legislative interventions are necessary, reports IPN.
The head of state declared, during the TV8 show “The Black Box”, that more and more studies show that social networks have negative effects on the health of children and adolescents. They become more isolated, and their sleep is affected. Also, the president highlighted a link with statistics that indicate an increase in the incidence of mental disorders and the suicide rate.
According to Maia Sandu, several states have announced initiatives to reduce or limit minors’ access to social networks up to a certain age. “I don’t know if it’s a solution we can apply, but I want to discuss it,” the president mentioned.
In her opinion, children cannot be kept out of the online environment, but authorities have the responsibility to protect them from existing risks. Also, Maia Sandu emphasized that the problem exceeds the borders of a single country and that joint efforts are needed within the European Union.
France is one of the countries considering increasingly strict measures to protect minors in the digital environment. President Emmanuel Macron has asked experts to assess the influence of video games and the use of artificial intelligence on minors, ahead of a debate on possible restrictions.
