Government researching children's social media behaviour

Government is currently researching children to understand which social media platforms they use, their online preferences, and how they spend their time in digital spaces. 

Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg explained this is being done to ensure future policy decisions are fully informed by the specific realities of Maltese youth, rather than relying solely on international models. 

Buttigieg explained that while there is a clear consensus on the need to protect children and vulnerable people, a total ban similar to that in Australia may be difficult to enforce.

The programme followed the launch of a public consultation launched in January to address what was described as a growing "slavery to the mobile phone" affecting both children and adults. 

During the discussion, psychotherapist Julianne Grima highlighted the "alarming" risks associated with early social media use, including hidden cyberbullying and even the distribution of revenge porn. She suggested that legislative intervention is required to assist parents who cannot realistically monitor their children's digital activity around the clock.

Further concerns raised by Elaine Pavia Grima of the Smartphone Free Children Gozo initiative cited studies linking digital dependency to rising rates of depression, weak socialisation, and premature exposure to pornography. 

From a legislative standpoint, Opposition spokesperson Graziella Attard Previ said that safeguarding children’s wellbeing is a shared priority, but she argued that a simple ban would be insufficient. 

She proposed that mandatory digital literacy be integrated into the educational curriculum, warning that shielding children in a "bubble" until they are 15 without proper training would leave them ill-equipped for the digital world. 

The debate touched on the dangers of algorithms that harvest user data to push specific content, with Buttigieg noting that while EU regulations exist to curb these practices, there remains a significant enforcement gap that must be addressed at a European level.