"Harm is Like Alcohol and Tobacco"
An online petition in Italy calling for a ban on mobile phone ownership for those under 14 and prohibiting social networking service (SNS) account creation for those under 16 is gaining significant support.
On the 10th (local time), a petition titled "Smartphones and SNS: There is a Right Time for Every Technology" posted on the world's largest petition site Change.org was signed by prominent figures from various fields in Italy.
Led by education expert Daniele Novara and psychotherapist Alberto Pellai, the petition received endorsements from film director Paola Cortellesi, actors Alba Rohrwacher, Stefano Accorsi, Luca Zingaretti, among others. Additionally, key figures in education, culture, arts, and psychology also signed, according to ANSA news agency.
The petition calls for protecting adolescents from smartphones and SNS by prohibiting mobile phone ownership for those under 14 and banning SNS account creation for minors under 16. The petition states, "The negative effects of smartphones are proven by the fact that students socialize better and learn more effectively in schools where smartphones are not allowed," and points out that "the brains of minors are highly vulnerable to the dopamine effects of SNS and video games."
Novara, who led the petition, said in an interview with the local daily La Repubblica on the same day, "Just as alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited for minors, smartphones and SNS should also be restricted." He added, "We are not against technology, but giving smartphones to children is like allowing them to drive a car," emphasizing, "Everyone agrees on the seriousness of the issue. I believe Italy will be the first country to bring about change."
Giuseppe Valditara, Minister of Education, expressed agreement with the petition's content in an interview with ANSA on the same day, drawing attention to whether it will lead to legislation. He said, "This petition aligns with the direction I have strongly supported," adding, "The harms caused by early use of mobile phones and SNS are becoming clear. Increasingly more countries internationally are imposing bans."
Meanwhile, discussions about children and adolescents' use of social networking services (SNS) continue worldwide, as SNS usage among teenagers has increased compared to the past.
According to the U.S. polling organization Pew Research Center, 58% of American teenagers use the Chinese video platform TikTok daily, with 17% responding that they use it "almost every day." About half of teenagers use Snapchat and Instagram daily, with 14% and 8% respectively saying they use them "almost regularly."
In Australia, voices calling for a ban on SNS use for children under 16 are also growing. On the 10th (local time), Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and said, "We know that SNS is a social harm," adding, "I want to see children get off their devices and go out to football fields, swimming pools, tennis courts, and play. I want them to have real experiences with real people."
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