The Minister of the Interior contradicts Raed Arafat on the subject of children's access to social networks: “It does not solve anything”

Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu states, in a post on Facebook, that he does not support the idea of ​​banning access to social networks for minors under 15, advanced by his subordinate, Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations. Predoiu claims that the ban does not solve the fundamental problem, namely that of children's education, and it is difficult to implement

“In principle, I am not in favor of bans. Even in the matter of the access of minors under a certain age to online content. It does not solve the fundamental problem: the educated moral code. Especially since such a measure is very difficult to apply with today's means. Online platforms also have numerous benefits when they are used responsibly (stimulating creativity and maintaining contact with other children, quick access to information, etc.). In addition, many school and extracurricular activities already involve the use of the Internet”, writes Cătălin Predoiu, in a post titled “Freedoms and Prohibitions”

The second argument invoked by Predoiu in combating Artafat's proposal – whose name is not explicitly mentioned in the post – is that the ban will create frustration and curiosity, and children will end up using the networks without guidance or protection since the ban is easily circumvented with current technical means.

“It's a road that raises many dangers”

Starting from the premise that freedom without education is a danger, Predoiu advocates for an in-depth social and digital education.

“The school curriculum should include courses aimed at a certain axiology and explanations regarding the dangers for minors in the online world. Children must be taught to recognize false information, manipulation, hate speech or toxic behaviors in the online environment. Without these benchmarks, they can easily become victims of misinformation, group pressure or people who take advantage of their lack of experience”, believes Predoiu.

He gives the examples of physical training camps of the last century in which the “moral and physical values” of children were strengthened, who were taught to handle themselves in nature, including dangerous situations. “We did not go for the ban on children entering the forest,” says the Minister of the Interior.

Cătălin Predoiu claims that the application of the ban will require large resources from the state, there is even a risk of filling the detention centers with minors.

“In order to be able to apply such a ban, you need to put a certain system into operation. This system should be able to detect when and from where, someone accessed certain content. Which obviously involves records in databases and mass surveillance. I think it's a path that raises many dangers in its turn. Especially in terms of the limits of democracy,” warns the minister, saying that such a ban makes children even vulnerable in the face of reality.

“I made these clarifications strictly from the perspective of a lawyer, senator and member of a party that has in its “ideological DNA” freedom and conservative values ​​in general. In other words, a political point of view, not an administrative one. The Ministry of the Interior does not have the authority to establish legal limits of freedom in terms of free expression and access to information, but only to apply what the Parliament legislates in this matter”, Predoiu concludes his post.

Arafat pleads for 'a brave step'

The message of the Minister of the Interior comes a day after Raed Arafat wrote on Facebook 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?”, writes the head of the DSU on Saturday morning, in a post on Facebook.

In this regard, Arafat gives 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 claims that “this is not about censorship” but about “protecting the mental health of children and adolescents”. 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.