Government approval for anti-bullying and cyberbullying regulations

The Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, has approved, in preliminary examination, a legislative decree introducing provisions on preventing and combating bullying and cyberbullying, implementing the delegation of authority referred to in Article 3 of Law No. 70 of 17 May 2024.

The text, among other things, strengthens the '114 Child Emergency' telephone service and extends its operational scope for the purpose of preventing and combating bullying and cyberbullying, with a view to the broader protection of minors. The service, which is already active throughout the country 24 hours a day, every day of the year, can be accessed by anyone wishing to report emergency situations and discomfort that may harm the psycho-physical development of children and young people under the age of 18.

In addition, 114 provides victims, their relatives and persons related to them by emotional relationship with a service of initial psychological and legal assistance, psycho-educational counselling and, in the most serious cases, promptly informs the police authority. Also for this purpose, it is envisaged that the App offered free of charge by 114 will include a geolocation function, which can be activated subject to the consent of the caller, and an instant messaging service in compliance with the regulations in force on the protection of personal data.

The anonymous data concerning reports of bullying and cyberbullying phenomena specifically occurring in the school environment, acquired by the operator of the public utility number 114, will be transmitted annually to the Ministry of Education and Merit in aggregate form, also with a view to facilitating the planning of actions aimed at raising students' awareness of the prevention of such phenomena. The website dedicated to 114 will ensure the widest accessibility, usability, knowledge and dissemination of the assistance services provided.

Istat, also making use of the data provided by other subjects forming part of the National Statistical System, will carry out, every two years, a survey on the phenomena of bullying and cyberbullying, in order to describe their fundamental characteristics and to identify the most exposed subjects, the relevant risk and protection factors and the psychological consequences. The text also updates the provisions on the notices that providers of communication and information services offered through electronic communication networks send to users under the Electronic Communications Code, so as to provide that they expressly refer to the provisions of Article 2048 of the Civil Code on parental liability for damages caused by minor children as a result of unlawful acts carried out through the use of the network.