What Kelemen Hunor says about limiting children's access to social networks. The example given from his family
The leader of UDMR, Kelemen Hunor. PHOTO: Inquam Photos / Simion Sebastian Tataru
Limiting children's access to social networks up to 15-16 years old, an idea advanced by the head of DSU, Raed Arafat, cannot be done only through measures, regulations, but through education, believes the president of UDMR, Kelemen Hunor.
The UDMR leader, asked on Tuesday evening, on Digi24, what he thinks about this project, he said, in the context, that at home his children use phones with buttons and iPads.
“The children have telephones with buttons and they have access to the iPad, to the tablet, because there are certain things from the school that must be done there digitally. So, from this point of view, yes, there is access, but we discussed in the family and we said until the age of 14, it would be good until the age of 15 – let's see if we succeed, that there is still pressure in the school – not to have Facebook and access to social media, because a child at that age, at least that's what the specialists say, that's how I see the other parents, talking to a lot of people, they don't know the difference between what's good and what's not good. And dependence is formed very quickly”, said Kelemen Hunor, quoted by Agerpres.
“So I think that it is not possible to prohibit only through measures, regulations. Children are doing much better than their parents. But it must be discussed, it must be educated. School and family, beyond regulations, are absolutely necessary”, declared the UDMR leader.
At the same time, he was asked if he is for or against a national or European regulation in this regard.
“You can't. It's not going to work through regulation alone, I tell you honestly. With all Arafat's kindness, banning, what are you doing? You can't ban. You need a regulation, correct? But you also need other measures related to school and related to society, family, discussions, debates. We are not able to stop all the fakes on social media, all the content that has nothing to do with reality and we see what effect they have on society. The intention is ok, but if you fail to you solve something in school and in the family, you won't solve anything with that”, replied Kelemen Hunor.
Why is Romania different? Well-educated Western countries ban minors from social media while we tell them “that's not the way to go”
Arafat pleads for 'a brave step'
Raed Arafat, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), wrote on Facebook on Saturday that social networks “are high-risk products for children and teenagers” and says that Romania should limit by law their access to these platforms.
“I was sitting and reflecting, especially after the last extremely serious events that had children and teenagers as the main actors: wouldn't now be the right time for Romania to take a brave and responsible step and join the states that are discussing or have already decided to limit the access of children and teenagers to social networks?”, wrote the head of the DSU, in a post on Facebook.
In this regard, Arafat gave an example of the measures taken by other countries. “States such as France, Australia, the United Kingdom or Norway are already treating this issue as what it really is: a public health and child and adolescent protection issue, not an ideological debate,” says Arafat.
Arafat claimed that “this is not about censorship” but about “protecting the mental health of children and teenagers”. In these conditions, Arafat proposes a law that limits access to social networks for children under 15-16 years old.
“That's why it's time for the Romanian parliamentarians to assume this responsibility and initiate a clear legislative framework that limits the access of children and adolescents under 15-16 years to social networks,” Arafat said.
