Protect, not punish. With these words, Jacqueline Galant, our Minister for Media in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, unveiled her intention: to ban access to social media for children under 15.
This initiative comes in a worrying context. In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, nearly 74% of teenagers use TikTok, 76% Snapchat and 78% Instagram. This despite the well-documented dangers of these platforms: attention disorders, exposure to cyberbullying, addiction, constant comparison with influencers, disinformation…
A recent Belgian study entitled "Generation2024" shows that 66% of primary school children already use a smartphone, and that more than a quarter have a social media account. These figures are alarming given that health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians) warn of increased risks of depression, sleep disorders, and even suicide among young people overexposed to screens.
Inspired by the example of Australia, which has banned access to social media for those under 16, and supported by the movement launched by France at European level, Jacqueline Galant proposes that Belgium take a firm stance in favour of a digital age of majority of 15. She calls on her Flemish and federal colleagues to join her in this initiative.
"I don't want to ban to punish, I want to ban to protect. I want to protect the mental and physical health of our children," she states.
For the Mouvement Réformateur, this approach fits fully within a logic of responsible freedom: media literacy, yes, but also clear boundaries, because young people's health is at stake. As the Minister points out: "It is not children who must adapt to the internet, it is the internet that must adapt to children."
And tomorrow? Specifically, Jacqueline Galant calls for two strong measures: clear Belgian regulation setting the minimum age for access to social media at 15. And an obligation for platforms to verify their users' age, under penalty of financial sanctions.
The Mouvement Réformateur welcomes this stance. We will continue to champion a vision of society in which technology serves people, and never the other way around.