DIn September 2024, at least 54 million of teenagers all over the world have been moved to Account for IG teenagersguaranteeing them more protections. By goal, “an encouraging result”. To the point that over the next few months it will not only introduce new features to those accounts but will extend The same measures also to Facebook and Messenger. In short, he is trying to be an ally of the parents, precisely because growing children in the Instagram era is “one of the most complex challenges”. Laura Bononcini, Public Policic Policy Director Southern Europe Meta admits this. With her we tried to take stock of What families can do with the tools available. And on what, on the other hand, it makes sense to ask at European and regulatory level to give greater protection to minors online.
Account for teenagers and what we can do to protect minors online
The first step that parents have to take to be able to open a dialogue with young people on social networks is to acquire one awareness. And that is that, for minors, “The digital and physical world are intertwined », explains Bononcini: «The fears, interests and behaviors that children express on social media reflect those who live in daily life, at school or in the family. It is necessary understand this continuity To help them live the world online with awareness ».
For this reason, what they tell of their experience on social networks, young people must be taken seriously, avoiding to minimize their problems. Show yourself interested in what they think, say and do, listening to them without judging, offering to help them when necessary and establishing an open dialogue.
1. Minors online: an agreement shared with parents on times and ways
“You have to find a balance between supporting children and respecting their privacyavoiding to control them excessively so as not to bring them to use the technology of secretly ». A way, which is essential to identify and travel, is that of a “shared agreement“On how much and when to stay online, to empower them and at the same time convey the importance of learning to manage their time during the day.
«To help parents on many fronts, how to start a conversation with their children on theConscious use of social networksMeta provides the Center for Familiesa hub dedicated to all supervision security tools, which provides insights and resources to guide the youngest to positive online experiences ».
Laura Bononcini, Public Policic Policy Director Southern Europe by Meta (Credits © Stefano Guindani)
2. We are not digital natives? We can study
Of course, the world of adults is varied: there are the most permanent parents, who see more favorably the use of social networks also by the very young and, at the opposite extreme, those who would prohibit them until maturity. Bononcini explains: «What we are observing is but is increasing attention aimed at digital education, confirming a growing awareness that parents have their role as driving in the online world, exactly like offline. “
The various awareness campaigns for the safety and well -being of online minors are mostly aimed at them: an invitation to fill the inevitable gap of knowledge with children, due to the fact that adults are not digital natives. “The goal is to create an ecosystem of digital awareness that starts within the family and also develops outside”.
3. The prohibitions? They are counterproductive
But wouldn’t it be better to completely prohibit the use of cell phones? According to Bononcini no: «The experts with whom we constantly compare ourselves tell us that The prohibitions tend to be counterproductive. Devices for young people are tools to maintain contacts with the people they care about, explore their interests and cultivate passions. Also, we think the prohibitions can push the boys towards less regulated platforms, which perhaps escape the control of the lawand which still present the same critical issues ». In these cases, the most effective tool is dialogue, especially in the family.
4. The protection tools. Not only do you teen accounts
Over the years Meta has developed Over 50 toolsin collaboration with experts, to help especially the youngest to navigate in the digital world in a safe and serene way.
A particularly important step was the launch of the Account for teenagers, to whom the boys have been “passed” by default. Account that limit the visibility of teenagers, imposing restrictions on those who can contact them. The contents are filtered upstream so that the minor can only see those deemed suitable. The under 16 years, in particular, must now request authorization of a parent to change the settings.
Take it down and permission denied
For allow minors to have control of their intimate images and prevent them from being shared online was then developed “Take it down“, Developed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Going up Takeitdown.ncmec.org can be generated a unique hash of a certain image or video, which is sent safely without the content leaving the device. The hash allows platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to find and remove copies of the image, preventing future publications. (For adults who fear the non -consensual diffusion of their intimate images, there is instead permission denied).
To stem the sharing of private and sensitive materials, Meta then recently introduced the automatic blur of images Intime sent via DM for all under 18. In addition, people who send these images will receive a message that invites you to caution and offer them the opportunity to cancel the sending.
5. The right age for smartphones and social networks (and how to enforce it)
Establishing the right age to access digital technologies, such as smartphones and social networks, is an open debate theme. In Italy there is no specific legislation on the subject. But to register for the goal platforms, The minimum age is 13 years old. Already since 2019, Meta began to ask people to declare their age at the time of enrollment on Instagram, and since then indicating age has become an obligation.
But Being able to check this age is a complex challenge, Bononcini admits it. “It requires to find the right balance between security and privacy, and it is essential to adopt the most effective ways to do it.” Today on Instagram if a user increases age in the profile he is asked to Upload your identity document or a selfie video (“Approved” by YOTIplatform specialized in age verification methods that uses artificial intelligence).
But destination is developing technologies for identify the accounts that belong to teenagers even if they report the date of birth of an adult. Obviously, to automatically impose more restrictive and adequate settings.
6. Minors online: what if the verification of the age was at the App Store level?
Recent studies say that Teenagers use on average 40 different apps every week, going from to each other. “For this,” says Bononcini, “we ask A new EU regulation that harmonizes security standards. An age verification system e parental approval at the operating system level and App Store It would simplify control for families and would guarantee coherent protections for all teenagers, on each platform ».
If the age was verified directly through the App Store, The individual apps should no longer collect sensitive data. Parents and adolescents would provide age only once, at the time of the purchase of the device or the creation of the account, e The App Store could then share this information with the various apps to guarantee adequate experiences to age.
«Obviously we are aware that the implementation of a centralized system would entail a complex review of the European legislation, with the need to Align the regulations between Member States and platforms». In short, an adequate and far from simple legislative coordination would be needed.
7. Parents’ consent to download apps and European legislation
According to a recent survey conducted by Morning ConsultAlmost 75% of European parents* have declared themselves in favor of a law that requires their consent for the installation of applications by minors. In some countries this percentage is even higher, reaching 82% in Italy.
«It is needed A new European legislation regarding the protection of minors online: It is necessary to harmonize safety standards throughout Europe, guaranteeing Puniform wheels for all teenagers, wherever they are. This includes the introduction of measures such as age verification at the App Store or operating system, e Approval of parents for app download by minors under 16 “.
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