It was in January that the Government of Spain appointed a committee made up of 50 experts to analyze the impact of technologies on minors and design a plan to protect them from the risks of the Internet. Now, almost a year later, this group of specialists has just presented a report of more than 250 pages and 107 measures that will serve to complete the draft organic law for the protection of minors in digital environments.
Although we have adopted technology and specifically mobile phones in an unprecedented way, these devices have become indispensable in our lives and are practically another extension of our body. Therefore, almost regardless of age, Nowadays, minors have a smartphone in their hands from a very early age.
The problem, as many reports and studies have already reflected, in addition to this one that has just been presented to the Council of Ministers, points out the negative impact what it means to expose minors to these technologies without control and the consequences on their physical and mental health.
For this reason, the Government is preparing the aforementioned organic law for the protection of minors in digital environments. As we said, the report presented by this committee of experts contains more than 107 measurementsall of them proposed for three time horizons: short, medium and long term.
The keys to the measures proposed by experts
There are several points that these experts have focused on, all focused on solutions or ways in which to protect minors from this overexposure to screens and technology. Among the most notable measures, we find the recommendation of Do not expose children between 0 and three years old to digital devicesyes, when they have between three and six, only in cases of need and in specific cases.
Likewise, Adults should moderate the use of these devices when in front of children under six years of age. Although from this age they can already have contact with technology, which always be something secondaryoy that they prioritize “face-to-face, experiential, sports activities, contact with nature and the physical environment.”
From 12 to 16, mobile phones are allowed, but without Internet access, they can only call
This age range (12 to 16) is perhaps one of the most complicated, but experts point out that it is most convenient to They have mobile phones, but without access to the network, and in cases where they do have always with parental control tools for managing exposure time and access to the type of content.
Other recommended measures
- More parental controls: devices that come with default controls and packaging that warns of health risks.
- Establish a regulation on content creators, including child influencers.
- Ban the exposure of minors in the content generated by influencers.
- Regulate the use of devices in educational centers: prohibit them in early childhood and primary education and limit them in secondary education.
- Promote awareness campaigns.
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