Children and Youth Commission against social media ban for children
Keystone-SDA
In a position paper, the Swiss Federal Children and Youth Commission has spoken out against general social media bans for children.
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A general ban would unnecessarily restrict the ability of children and parents to act.
In addition to the important right to protection, the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child also includes the right to age-appropriate access to information and education as well as the right to participate in digital offerings, the Federal Commission for Children and Youth Affairs (FCYA) announced on Thursday.
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The commission therefore argues that clear rules and guidelines on media use should be developed together with children and young people. According to the FCYA, all those involved should not only be able to recognise and classify the risks associated with social media, but also its benefits and opportunities.
The commission is also in favour of regulating large online platforms.
The debate on banning mobile phones and social media recently got underway in several cantons: in the canton of Nidwalden, for example, mobile phones and other digital devices have been banned since the start of the 2025/2026 school year.
In Solothurn, on the other hand, each school is allowed to decide individually on a possible ban.
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Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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