EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday said her government would not take the initiative to introduce a social media ban on teens like those in the works in France, the U.K and other countries.
“I am not against a social media ban for under 16s, but I am not either convinced that this proposal alone can solve the problem because that type of ban can be easily circumvented,” Meloni told reporters at the end of a G7 summit.
Stating that a ban risks “to partially transfer the problem on families,” Meloni said restrictions can also be ineffective unless governments put more pressure on platforms to take action and to “take their responsibilities.”
While Meloni insisted she was not against a social media ban for under-16s in Italy, the prime minister said her government has decided not to present a government decree or bill to let lawmakers lead the discussions. Several Italian parties have presented bills to introduce a social media ban but none of those have so far been adopted.
Earlier this week, the U.K. announced it would introduce a social media ban for under-16s, a measure that France will also implement for under-15s later this year. The U.S. previously expressed concerns about the British ban, warning against one-size-fits-all measures.
On Wednesday the G7 leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed a declaration on protecting kids online that makes no mention of banning kids’ access to social media.