Mauricio Kuri, governor of Querétaro, has presented a law initiative to restrict access from children under 14 years to social networks. In addition, this week, Querétaro began to apply a regulation, also driven by the president, which prohibits the use of mobile devices in public and private schools of basic and upper level.
Both measures are part of a broader project that seeks to protect childhood and adolescence from digital risks. Kuri emphasized that his proposal aims to raise awareness about psychological and social repercussions derived from excessive use of smartphones and social networks.
“The epidemic of isolation, anxiety, insomnia and depression in our childhood and youth is not exclusive to Querétaro; It occurs throughout the country. Social networks must be for over 14 years with authorization from parents and be banned for the little ones, ”said the governor.
Querétaro without cell phones in schools
Querétaro has become In the first state of Mexico to implement strict regulations On the use of cell phones In educational institutions. Irene Quintanar, head of the Services Unit for Basic Education in the entity, explained that the standard was prepared in conjunction with teachers, students and parents to facilitate its implementation.
“We carry out several workshops, we promoted digital civism and promote the program ‘One, two, three for peace’. All this worked during the last school year. Now we will focus on formative and preventive aspects, ”he said.
The regulatory framework establishes that technology, in the school environment, can only be used for educational purposes or in emergency cases. This guideline is aligned with international legal frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
A report by the United Nations Educational, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) entitled Prohibit or not prohibit? Monitoring of countries’ regulations on the use of smartphones at school warns about a possible correlation between the use of mobile devices and low academic performance. According to this study, around 79 countries have adopted policies to limit the use of cell phones in classrooms, which represents approximately 40% of educational systems worldwide.
The organization warns, however, that governments must act cautiously by imposing prohibitions, given the growing role of technology in training processes. “Students should know both the risks and the opportunities of technology and They should not be excluded from it. It is necessary that countries provide a clear guide on which technologies are allowed in school and how they should be used in a responsible manner. Only technology that provides value to learning should be allowed, ”says the report.
Restricted access to social networks
The Kuri government has also promoted an initiative to restrict access to social networks to children under 14 years. The proposal also stipulates that adolescents between 15 and 17 can only access these services with the authorization of their parents or guardians. The measure has been presented to the local legislature and the Congress of the Union with the objective of its possible adoption nationwide.
“Social networks are tools for entertainment, information and expression that require responsibility and maturity. Most of the content that circulates in them lacks verification. Its use has been extended massively and undue among minors. More than 70% of young Queretans claim to have at least one social network, ”argues Kuri. It warns that children and adolescents live isolated, which affects their mental health and ability to relate to their environment. “In Querétaro, Anxiety cases have increased by 15% and in 18% depression cases directly linked to the use of social networks among minors, ”he says.
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