Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546635
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 OPINION Mariah Meli Protecting children, empowering families and Malta's role Labour MP THE European Union has taken an important step towards creat- ing a safer and more responsible digital future for children. On 16 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans for stronger online safeguards during her State of the Union address. The following day, the com- mission formally presented the proposed EU Kids Act, intend- ed to establish common stand- ards for protecting minors across Europe. Furthermore, this initiative should be understood as more than another set of restrictions as it politically represents a choice about the kind of soci- ety Europe wants to build. The EU is signalling that technolog- ical progress must serve people and that children's well-being cannot be treated as secondary to advertising, online engage- ment or corporate profit. Social media has brought considerable benefits by allow- ing young people to communi- cate, learn, express themselves and participate in public life. However, it has also exposed them to cyberbullying, harm- ful material, sexual exploita- tion, contact from strangers and systems deliberately de- signed to hold their attention. Artificial-intelligence chatbots and digital companions have introduced further concerns, particularly when children de- velop emotional dependence on technology that imitates human relationships. Under the proposed Kids Act, children younger than 13 would not be allowed to create social-media accounts. Those aged between 13 and 15 would have access only through re- stricted accounts operating under parental supervision. Moreover, these accounts could include limits on screen time, contacts and available functions. Users aged between 15 and 18 would continue to access digital services, but plat- forms would have to provide stronger protections. The legislation would extend beyond traditional social net- works to video-sharing ser- vices, online games, AI chat- bots and digital companions. Platforms would be required to verify users' ages, provide practical parental controls and make children's accounts private by default with young users also need simple ways to block, mute and report others. Importantly, the proposal addresses the design of digi- tal platforms and potentially addictive features, including infinite scrolling, engagement rewards and recommendation feeds based on personal profil- ing which would be restricted for minors. These measures show a welcome change in political thinking. For many years, responsibility for online safety was placed mainly on parents and children. The new European approach recognises that families cannot carry this burden alone. Companies that design and profit from digital environments must also accept responsibility for the conse- quences of their products. The proposal still requires ne- gotiation and approval by the European Parliament and EU governments, including Malta. Legitimate questions remain, particularly regarding privacy and age verification must not lead to the unnecessary collec- tion of children's identity doc- uments or personal informa- tion. Europe must prove that it can protect children without weakening their right to priva- cy. Malta has an opportunity to make a constructive contribu- tion to this debate, and the La- bour Government had already begun discussing restrictions before the EU announcement. In October 2025, Prime Min- ister Robert Abela announced plans to address social-media use among children aged 13 and under. Abela had later clarified that Malta did not favour an indiscriminate or excessively severe ban, instead supporting a balanced response involving education, parental participa- tion, sensible restrictions and greater responsibility from technology companies. This balanced position can become Malta's strength dur- ing the European negotiations even though being a small member state. Our country may not possess the politi- cal weight of Europe's largest countries, but it can still offer practical ideas and help build consensus. Malta can argue for rules that are strong enough to protect children, flexible enough to respect different family circumstances and tech- nologically sound enough to preserve privacy. Schools could strengthen me- dia-literacy education, parents could receive better guidance, and children could be includ- ed in discussions about the online environments they use every day. Malta's technolo- gy and gaming sectors could contribute to developing ef- fective age-assurance tools and child-friendly design stand- ards. The political objective should not be to frighten children away from technology, but it should be able to create a dig- ital environment in which they can explore, learn and commu- nicate without being manipu- lated or placed at unnecessary risk. Protection and innovation do not have to be opposing forces because with thoughtful regulation, they can reinforce one another. The Kids Act therefore offers Europe, and Malta, a chance to lead with confidence and values as it could demonstrate that democratic institutions can respond to technological change while defending free- dom, privacy and human dig- nity. Europe's digital future should remain innovative, but it should also be fair, humane and worthy of the next gener- ation. urope's digital future should remain innovative, but it should also be fair, humane and worthy of the next generation