Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the presentation of the national strategy to protect minors online, stated that this is a problem that we have all seen but until now we have been unable to find policies to address it.
"It is the image of children glued to a mobile phone who lose touch with the world. We discover along the way that they have severe psychological problems - depression, isolation, distraction. It has to do with the dark side of technology," noted the prime minister, recalling that he had also spoken about the issue at the UN General Assembly.
Speaking about the interventions, he said that he doubts that a universal ban would be effective and stressed that first we need to discuss the problem with parents and children, examine the regulatory role of the state and hold companies accountable, as the algorithms are designed to maximize the time we spend looking at the screen.
Mitsotakis said that protecting the child's soul is a self-evident obligation of a society and that the child and adolescent brain is still being formed.
"That is why intervention is needed specifically for these ages," he added.
Mitsotakis said that the kids wallet can also be implemented in Europe, noting that there is a possibility of controlling the time we spend on our mobile phones and what we see. "Then the responsibility passes to the child. We must say no to our children," he noted. "The very big challenge of the next day is how we will pressure the platforms to design the applications taking into account child and adolescent use. Some are already doing so," he continued, citing Instagram as an example.
"Of course, there is a role for Greece at the European level. To propose technological solutions and to look at the regulatory issues, which also concern rights," he added. "I believe that Europe will play a greater regulatory role in pressuring the large American platforms to allow broader interventions," he added.
"All of this starts with properly informing parents, teachers, and health experts, explaining to children that there is no substitute for exercising and having real contacts. The digital world can be useful, but it cannot be a substitute for real experiences," he emphasized.
"For me, it is a great opportunity to play a broader role, beyond the borders of our country. These issues concern everyone," he noted.
Ακολουθήστε το Business Daily στο Google news 
