A presidential adviser's reason for limiting children's access to social media. Sorin Costreie: “We have a big problem”

Presidential advisor Sorin Costreie stated, at Digi24, that children's access to social networks must be regulated in Romania, because studies show a big problem with minors' ability to concentrate and memorize. He believes, however, that simple regulation will not be enough, clear implementation mechanisms will have to be established.

“To be very clear, yes, I think we need to regulate, but simple regulation will not solve the problem. Why? (…) Because we have a big problem with our children's ability to concentrate – and here we have studies – and to memorize, and these are related to these digital networks”, said Sorin Costreie, quoted by News.ro.

He specified that Romania will have to align with European policies regarding minors' access to social networks, but the implementation of the measures could cause problems.

“Think about it, at some point, I think that in almost all countries in Europe, most of them, they will have such laws (…) We need specialized studies. I am, although I am liberal and I am against the regulations, here I think it is necessary, because it is no longer possible. Look at the cases we had very recently, with those minors who were planning a crime, all this system of bullying and violence that we have in schools. Two, the problem is how we implement. In Australia they regulated two months ago, maybe even three months, but they have big problems with the implementation of this legislation. And three, I think the most important thing is to go on the side of prevention”, Sorin Costreie said.

The president is waiting for the experts' conclusions, the prime minister is skeptical

President Nicușor Dan was asked, on February 12, if he agrees with banning minors' access to social networks, a fact that sparked a heated debate in Romanian society after the situation in Cenei, Timiş County, where a 15-year-old teenager was killed by three other children.

“It's good that we have this debate, let's let the specialists debate. Beyond this issue, which is for decision, I think there are two big things that we, as a society and we, as an administration, must be concerned about: one is the whole phenomenon of drug consumption and here (…) the role of DIICOT is very important and the second is how we integrate the activities that we, as a society, offer to children of a certain age, to parents, such as so that they feel that they are part of society and do not enter some areas of addictions that are very dangerous at this age”, answered Nicusor Dan.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan expressed reservations about the effectiveness of such a ban on children's access to social networks. Answering a question from journalists, Ilie Bolojan said in the press conference on February 4 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.