Social networks, bipartisan proposal to clamp down on minors

From the contribution to families for babysitting expenses to the prohibition of 'gender theories' in schools, passing through the elimination of the obligation to display the EU flag in public buildings to a clampdown on the use of social networks by minors. This is the summary of some of the 39 new bills filed in the last four weeks in the House and Senate. The group also includes, among others, a bill by senator and virologist Andrea Crisanti on the exercise of the free medical profession in intramoenia, a proposal by Catia Polidori (Fi) in the Chamber to grant a free guarantee from the Guarantee Fund for SMEs to companies with gender equality certification. As well as a bill by the leader of the League's group in the Senate, Massimiliano Romeo, to strengthen and review the National Health Service with the reduction of waiting lists and the strengthening of territorial medicine.

A total of approximately 3,100 texts have reached Parliament since the start of the legislature, including those coming from the government, popular, regional and CNEL initiatives. The proposals formulated by deputies and senators have exceeded 2,700. Of these, more than 1,600 have been assigned to the competent Commissions for examination but are in fact still at the pole, while those yet to be assigned number 440. There are 420 bills pending before the Commissions in Montecitorio and Palazzo Madama, 42 others are about to reach the Chamber of Deputies and Senators, and 5 are pending before the Assembly.

A virtually identical bipartisan proposal for the protection of minors in the use of digital tools, filed on the same day (13 May) by Lavinia Mennuni (Fdi) - and co-signed by Simona Malpezzi, a Democrat - who presented it in Palazzo Madama and by Marianna Madia, who filed it in Montecitorio, is travelling in parallel in the Senate and House committees. The aim, as stated in the two introductory reports, is to 'regulate the use of social networks' and 'introduce a minimum age' for their use 'as is the case for a series of analogical activities such as driving, drinking and smoking'. The text provides that it is the same platforms that provide services in Italy that will 'verify the age of users', based on Agcom's indications. And that 'contracts with information society service providers concluded by minors under fifteen years of age are null and void'. But it does not end there. Because in the last few weeks three other bills in this area should be noted: one in the Senate by the leader of Azione Carlo Calenda, which aims at the 'protection of minors in the use of electronic communication services'. Another one by MP Filippo Scerra (M5s) that wants to put a brake on the use of video games by under-12s, highlighting the health risks. And a third by Senator Elena Sironi (M5s) that regulates the two phenomena of 'baby influencers' and the sharing on social media of multimedia content (photos, audio, video) of their children by their parents.

Among the dossiers awaiting consideration is the one by the Lega Nord senator Claudio Borghi calling for the repeal of the obligation to display the EU flag outside public buildings, leaving only 'the obligation to display the national flag'. As well as the bill presented to the Chamber of Deputies by Michela Di Biase (Pd) for the 'granting of a contribution for expenses related to baby-sitting or supplementary services for children'. Also awaiting examination in the House committee is the text by Laura Ravetto, a Lega Nord member, which prohibits 'the inclusion of educational objectives based on "gender theories" in the educational offerings of educational institutions'. The same goes for the first bill presented in Palazzo Madama for the development of quantum technologies (which envisages, among other things, investing 300 million over the next few years to support start-ups in the sector), whose first signatory is Dem Lorenzo Basso. As well as the proposal for the 'identification of police forces in public order service and the application of micro-cameras to uniforms', put forward by MP Filiberto Zaratti (Avs). Not forgetting the text by Senator Mariastella Gelmini (Action) that modifies Article 77 of the Constitution on the subject of urgent decrees, to curb their abuse.