The Verkhovna Rada is working on a legislative solution to protect children on the Internet, including a possible restriction of minors' access to social networks — Instagram and TikTok.
The Verkhovna Rada is working on a legislative solution to protect children on the Internet, including a possible restriction of minors' access to social networks — Instagram and TikTok.
This was stated by People’s Deputy, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovations Yulia Hryshyna.
According to Grishina, the document is still under development — she has not yet disclosed details about specific mechanisms of restrictions, noting only that possible legislative solutions are currently being worked out. Grishina explained the logic of the future initiative by the division of responsibility: the educational function remains with parents, the legal function with the state, and a certain technological function will be carried out by social networks and online platforms themselves. According to her, such a legislative initiative has a chance to unite representatives of all factions and groups in parliament, especially in times of war.
Grishina also noted that Ukraine is guided by the experience of European countries, some of which have already completely banned children’s access to social networks.
According to Grishina, the number of crimes against national security involving minors has increased 43 times in three years, and 22% of Ukrainians recruited by Russia are children. At her request, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada prepared a review dossier on the protection of the rights of minors in the digital space, according to which every fourth teenager spends 7 or more hours online per day, 4 out of 5 children have accounts on Telegram and TikTok, every third child encounters dangerous situations online, and 60% of children do not tell anyone about it.
The poll cited by the Center for Public Monitoring and Control shows society’s mixed attitude towards possible restrictions: 60% of respondents fully support age restrictions on social networks, 32% support them partially (restrictions are needed, but not a complete ban — for example, it is important to maintain contact via messengers for study), 7% spoke in favor of an individual approach, and only 1% are categorically against restrictions.
A number of countries around the world, by the way, have already introduced restrictions on the use of social networks by children under 14 and 16 years of age.
