Flemish minister calls for enforcement of age limit on social media
The Flemish Media minister has reaffirmed her position that the minimum age for using social media should remain 13, arguing that it should be more strictly enforced rather than raised. Cieltje Van Achter's comments on Wednesday come amid renewed debate about how best to protect young people online.
Van Achter, of N-VA, follows new advice from the Superior Health Council, which is calling for stronger protections for children and teenagers when it comes to screen exposure, and social media in particular. The Council warns that excessive or inappropriate use can harm both physical and mental health, and recommends restricting access to social media for children under 13.
"We have a duty not to remove children from their online world but to make it safer"
The Flemish government had already commissioned a comprehensive study into the effects of social media and heavy screen use on the well-being of children and adolescents. “We consulted experts and commissioned a thorough study to identify the pros and cons and determine the best policy response,” Van Achter said.
According to her, the findings leave little room for doubt. “The current age limit of 13 for social media is justified and should be better enforced in practice. A ban on social media for children under 16, as the advisory report also shows and as I have repeatedly emphasised, is not a good idea,” she said.
The advisory report, she notes, places strong focus on guidance, support and media literacy for both young people and their parents. “And that report is exceptionally clear about the direction we need to take. It literally states: ‘We have a duty not to remove children from their online world but to make it safer.’ That is precisely our responsibility,” she said.
The recommendations will be integrated into her forthcoming Media Literacy action plan.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO IMAGEBROKER
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