Editorial: Protecting children online cannot wait

In February, the public consultation process on social media reform – aimed at protecting children from the harms of the online world – came to an end. Four months have passed since then, and there has been no communication about its outcome.

Meanwhile, the country has gone through a general election, and new ministers are still settling into their roles. But the time has now come for the government to move forward on this reform.

With every passing day, children continue to be exposed to a digital environment designed to maximise engagement through addictive algorithms – irrespective of the content it is serving or the age of those consuming it.

The evidence is there. This week, European Commissioner Glenn Micallef called on EU member states to adopt a blueprint for age verification to better protect young people online.

Addressing the European Parliament, he emphasised the urgent need to safeguard children’s mental health and safety.

His remarks are part of a wider European debate on the negative impact of these platforms, including discussions around age limits and stronger regulatory frameworks to increase accountability.

Also addressing the European Parliament, MEP Alex Agius Saliba highlighted growing parental concern about excessive screen time, endless scrolling, and the resulting mental health consequences, including anxiety, depression, and, in extreme cases, suicidal behaviour.

Momentum is clearly building internationally.

In November, the European Parliament passed a resolution proposing that children under 16 should not access social media without parental consent. While not legally binding, the vote signalled overwhelming political will and increased pressure for concrete legislation.

Internationally, governments are also taking bold steps, with Australia moving forward with a ban on social media for under-16s, and the United Kingdom recently announcing similar restrictions.

The same momentum is also building in Malta. A Times of Malta poll last year showed that nearly three-quarters of respondents support tighter regulation of social media use.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey indicated that nearly one in four Maltese adolescents exhibits addictive patterns of social media use, with girls particularly affected.

Notably, a group of parents at San Anton School launched a bold initiative: no smartphones before the age of 15, and no access to social media before the age of 16. And Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, WHO Europe’s director for Country Health Policies and Systems, has called for a national debate on regulating children’s social media use.

Support services are also feeling the strain. BeSmartOnline reported 949 helpline interventions in 2024, a figure that remained high at 951 in 2025.

Cyberbullying accounted for the largest share, while the non-consensual sharing of intimate images represented a significant and deeply troubling proportion. These are not abstract concerns: they reflect real harm experienced by young people in Malta – online. This is not about controlling children or imposing blanket restrictions but about setting reasonable limits on exposure to harmful content and ensuring that platforms take responsibility for the environments they create.

It is also about education – equipping children, parents, educators, and society at large with the tools and laws to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

Any meaningful strategy must confront a more uncomfortable question: why are children and young adults spending so much time online in the first place?

Broader societal factors, including long working hours for parents and limited alternative spaces for young people to engage socially cannot be ignored.

Addressing social media harm demands a holistic approach that considers the wider social context. A real reform must propose solutions that may not always be popular.