PN Bill seeks to combat loneliness, curb social media use for under-16s

A private member’s bill proposing a council that would include people who have experienced loneliness firsthand has been tabled in Parliament, as part of a broader strategy to tackle social isolation.

Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo, whose shadow portfolio includes loneliness, tabled the draft law titled Combating of Loneliness and the Strengthening of the Well-being of Society Act on Thursday. He presented it to the Speaker together with fellow MPs Charles Azzopardi and Justin Schembri on Thursday. 

At the heart of the proposal is the establishment of a National Advisory Council on Loneliness and Social Connection. The council would be made up of three representatives from each of the following sectors: mental health professionals, educators, social workers, representatives of civil society, and persons with direct experience of loneliness.

The inclusion of individuals who have experienced loneliness firsthand is intended to ensure that policy decisions are informed by lived realities.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon welcomed the initiative but noted that the government had already introduced several measures to tackle loneliness, including the support line 179.

“We need to see what can be done, what can be legislated, with an issue so subjective can be challenging but there other measures that can be strengthened.”

The proposed council would be coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, which would act as a link between the various stakeholders. It would oversee the implementation of a national strategy on loneliness and social isolation.

Another key provision would require any ministry or public authority developing a public policy, programme or project to prepare a Social Connection Impact Statement from the outset.

This statement would “assess the likely effects of the proposed measure on loneliness, social isolation and opportunities for social connection.” 

The draft law also outlines a number of education-related measures. It proposes that the education ministry introduce programmes on mindfulness, critical thinking, life skills, emotional literacy, self-worth and self-care within Personal and Social Career Development (PSCD) lessons.

'Right to Disconnect' for under 16s

In addition, it calls for what it describes as a “Right to Disconnect” for minors. Under this measure, the State would mandate default policy and friction settings for all social media users under 16 years of age. This would include prohibiting “Infinite Scroll” and “Auto-play” features between 10pm and 7am.

The bill also proposes greater algorithmic transparency. AI platforms operating in Malta would be required to provide an annual audit to the National Advisory Council demonstrating that their algorithms do not prioritise “high-arousal/negative-engagement” content to minors, which the bill argues fuels social withdrawal.

The proposed act further stresses the importance of meaningful time between children and their parents or guardians as essential for mental well-being.

To complement the presentation of the bill, Bartolo organised a conference on social justice on Thursday morning to mark Social Justice Day, observed on February 20.

During the conference, 11 speakers raised concerns about accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities. Participants described the transition from education to employment as fragmented and highlighted gaps in independent living support. Concerns were also raised about limitations in assistive technology, particularly the lack of adequate Maltese-language voice synthesisers.

A minute of silence was observed for victims of thalidomide.

The drug, developed in the mid-1950s by German company Chemie Grünenthal (now Grünenthal GmbH), was widely used in the 1960s by pregnant women, mainly to relieve morning sickness. Although its harmful effects on babies were first highlighted in 1961, it remained available in Malta until 1968. This month, the government reopened a call for Maltese victims of thalidomide to receive compensation.

Growing lack of empathy

Social worker Marika Borg raised concerns about what she described as a growing lack of empathy in society, particularly towards those who require rehabilitation and support services. Speaking about the challenges faced by social workers, she said staffing shortages were the primary concern.

“We need human resources. We are becoming an endangered species and as time passes, the work gets harder. I never thought we would have got to this point 20 years ago,” Borg said.

Other discussions focused on the role of older persons in society and broader mental health challenges.

Addressing the conference, Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia pointed out social justice is "not a political choice or a convenient slogan, but a moral and institutional obligation that must guide every public decision”.

The event was also addressed by Opposition leader Alex Borg, Social Policy and Children’s Rights Minister Michael Falzon, Inclusion and Volunteering Minister Julia Farrugia and Opposition spokesperson for education Justin Schembri.