Edi Rama has stated that the government is considering the possibility of restricting minors' access to social networks, discussing whether the age limit should be 16 or 18 years old, so that they are not able to have individual accounts.
The Prime Minister said that a consultation process will be launched with teachers, parents, and all schools regarding the restriction of social networks, similar to what was done in the case of the TikTok restriction.
During his speech at the roundtable of the National Council for Children's Rights and Protection, Rama also announced that, starting next year, children will stay in schools until 5:00 PM.
"We need to open a debate on how and when we should limit access to social networks for minors and up to what age limit, 16 or 18, so that they no longer have any opportunity to have their own individual social networks. We will start a consultation, as we did in the case when we had to limit TikTok. We will start a discussion with teachers, parents and all schools on limiting social networks for minors. Another thing that is very important is the work that needs to be done jointly between us and civil society interested in this area, to increase the range of social activities for minors, starting from sports to culture. Extending children's stay in school is something that will start immediately next year. We have set a special budget so that parents can continue to work and children can be in school premises until 5:00 p.m.," Rama declared.
Focusing on the situation of recent weeks, the Prime Minister said that the Council takes on particular importance as a table where different perspectives can help draft a common approach.
He stated that society has witnessed a disturbing panorama, where violence has been relativized, justified and even deified. According to Rama, violence has also been accompanied by misinformation and miseducation, turning the State Police into an object of stigmatization, while persons who have exercised violence against institutions and schools have, according to him, received citizenship status and media immunity.
The head of government warned that, if society remains limited to exposing and criticizing these cases, violence may manifest itself in other forms and be used against teachers, school authorities, lecturers, universities or anyone considered an obstacle to the exercise of rights.
Another concern he raised was the participation of a significant number of minors in the protests. Rama said that before they are considered guilty, they should be seen as children who need help. According to him, the sources that feed them the spirit and lure of violence should be identified and neutralized.
Rama also focused on the need to support families, citing as examples the subsidization of health insurance for unemployed mothers raising children and being heads of households, the transition of the baby bonus into a regular monthly support scheme for children, as well as the more than doubling of financial support for students who come from families in need.
The Prime Minister emphasized that these measures are not sufficient and that the situation requires a new approach to everything that helps people's physical socialization.
