Momentum backs Ivan Bartolo’s anti-loneliness bill

Momentum has thrown its weight behind a private member’s bill tabled by Ivan Bartolo aimed at tackling loneliness, while calling for stricter safeguards on youth access to social media.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Momentum expressed “firm support” for the proposed “Combating of Loneliness and the Strengthening of the Well-being of Society Act, 2026”, describing it as a courageous attempt to address what it termed an “epidemic of social isolation”.

Momentum praised Bartolo’s initiative, saying the State has a “positive obligation” to promote social connection and human connectivity as a matter of public health.

The bill seeks to introduce a series of measures designed to combat loneliness across society, including the integration of mindfulness and digital literacy into the national curriculum.

The party said it particularly welcomed plans to equip younger generations with life skills to navigate an increasingly digital world. However, it argued that the proposed legislation should go further to ensure Malta becomes a leader in digital well-being.

Among its key proposals, Momentum called for a 24/7 suspension of what it described as “addictive algorithms” for minors. While the bill proposes banning features such as infinite scroll and auto-play for users under 18 between 10pm and 7am, Momentum said such design features should be prohibited for minors at all times.

“Protecting children from design features intended to maximise screen time at the expense of mental health should not be a part-time commitment,” the party said.

Momentum also urged lawmakers to consider a blanket ban on social media access for children under 16. The current draft bill would allow 13- to 16-year-olds to use social media with verified parental consent. The party argued that this places undue pressure on parents, who may feel compelled to allow access to prevent their children from being socially excluded.

Citing the example of France, Momentum said a clear legislative ban would provide families with stronger backing. In the interim, it voiced support for “Parent Pledges”, whereby communities of parents collectively agree to keep teenagers off social media.

The party also sought to address concerns around privacy and state overreach. Mark Camilleri Gambin, Momentum’s general secretary, referred to a policy paper he published on the European Democratic Party platform titled “Protecting Children without the privacy nightmare of Digital IDs”.

In the paper, Camilleri Gambin proposes an alternative to digital identification systems for age verification. Instead of requiring users to upload government documents, the proposal suggests a technical solution whereby a device’s operating system would carry a simple binary flag indicating whether it is used by a minor. Applications and browsers could then query this “isMinor: true/false” status via an API to enforce restrictions, including what he described as a “Right to Disconnect”.

“Ivan Bartolo has provided a brilliant foundation for a more connected Malta,” Camilleri Gambin said. “By aligning this bill with a full social media ban for under-16s and adopting privacy-preserving technology to enforce it, we can protect our children’s mental health while respecting the privacy of every Maltese, and European, citizen.”

Momentum said it looks forward to the motion progressing through Parliament and pledged continued support for legislative efforts that prioritise well-being, insisting that technology should serve humanity “rather than the other way around.”