Giorgia Meloni Hesitates on Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16

The President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, declared that the Italian government does not intend to directly promote a ban on social media access for minors under 16, taking a stance different from that recently adopted by the UK and France. The Prime Minister expressed her view at the end of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, emphasizing that a potential ban alone would not be sufficient to solve the issues related to the online safety of young people.

Meloni explained that she is not fundamentally opposed to a restriction for those under 16, but she is not convinced that this measure represents an effective solution. According to the President of the Council, such a ban could be easily circumvented by younger users, significantly reducing its practical effectiveness.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the risk that restrictions of this type would transfer part of the responsibility to families, while in her opinion, it would be more important to increase pressure on digital platforms to take a more active role in protecting minors. In this perspective, the debate should focus more on the structural changes required from tech companies rather than solely on controlling adolescents' access to services.

For now, Meloni has ruled out the possibility of a legislative ban on social media access for minors. While not dismissing the possibility of discussing a potential ban, Meloni specified that the government will not present either a decree or a dedicated bill. Instead, it will be Parliament that continues the discussion on the subject. In recent months, several Italian parties have submitted legislative proposals to limit minors' access to social networks, but none have been approved so far.

The Italian position emerges as several countries adopt more restrictive measures. The United Kingdom has announced its intention to ban access to social media for those under 16, with legislation expected by the end of the year and enforcement by 2027. France will introduce a ban for minors under 15 starting in September, while Canada is also working on similar restrictions that include social media and AI-based chatbots.

Meanwhile, G7 leaders have approved a joint statement on the protection of minors online that does not include a ban on access to social media. Instead, the document focuses on integrated safety principles in platform design.