The time spent by adolescents in front of screens and the dangers of the Internet for minors have become subjects of concern in Switzerland too. The idea of one day introducing a ban on social networks for young people seems to appeal as much as it divides those interviewed.
Platforms “so little or so poorly controlled” or even “scams, bad crowds and bad ideas” are some of the reactions collected by the 7:30 p.m. teams. “I remember that I had my first social networks from the age of 12. Clearly, that was too young. But I don’t think that what we should do is to ban. We should rather make prevention”, reacted several passers-by in front of the cameras.
Young people “very strong in circumventing” the prohibitions
As for the real effectiveness of the measure, it is not very convincing: “Young people are always very good at circumventing things that are forbidden to them”, “Now, everything goes through social networks, so it will be complicated” or again “I don’t think it could be done in Switzerland”, these are the predictions of those interviewed.
For Claire Balleys, sociologist specializing in digital practices and director of the Medialab at the University of Geneva, banning is not an adequate response. The important thing is pedagogy. “And we cannot delegate to parents the responsibility of educating on social networks because there are a lot of social inequalities in our society,” she emphasizes. “I think that this must be done within schools, within digital education courses”, so that young people can become “enlightened users”.
Looking for a moderate solution
The Federal Council also shares this opinion: “Prevention and awareness work is more effective than extensive regulations concerning a minimum age of access to social networks”, it responded to two questions recently filed during a session of the National Council, one focusing on fake news, the other on a minimum age of access to social networks. However, he also says he wants to “follow with interest the evolution of regulations in other countries”.
“I will commit to finding a moderate solution, which both gives young people access to this very strong and interesting means, but which also protects them,” declared national councilor Gerhard Andrey (Greens/ EN).
