The debate over limiting children's access to social media. Bolojan: I find it hard to believe that we could put these bans into practice
Teenagers with phone. Photo: Dreamstime
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan intervenes in the debate in the public space regarding limiting the access of children and teenagers to social networks, against the background of recent cases of violence in which minors were involved and discussions about the effects of the online environment on mental health.
Answering a question from journalists, Ilie Bolojan said in the press conference on Wednesday evening that he did not think such bans would work.
“Children have good enough skills to get around these things. I think we need to take some preventive, educational measures. It's hard for me to believe that we could put these bans into practice,” said the prime minister.
The idea of limiting children's access to social networks was launched in the public space by Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU). He wrote on Facebook on Saturday that social networks “are high-risk products for children and teenagers” and that Romania should limit by law their access to these platforms, as other countries do.
He was contradicted by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Cătălin Predoiu, who is against limiting the access of children and teenagers to social networks and claims that the bans do not solve the substantive problem and are difficult to apply.
Debate. Should children's access to social networks be limited in Romania? Presidential Advisor: “And drugs are banned, but does that mean we don't have this phenomenon?”
Why is Romania different? Well-educated Western countries ban minors from social media while we tell them “that's not the way to go”
