The Spanish government wants children under 16 to use ‘dumbphones.’
To deal with smartphone addiction, the Spanish government is working on a unique approach. As per reports, Spain is proposing that smartphones sold in the country should carry a health warning label, similar to cigarette packs. The proposal is part of a 250-page report shared by the government-appointed expert panel.
It suggests that smartphone manufacturers should add warnings for digital services, alerting users to dangers like overuse and exposure to harmful content. The 50-member expert committee has suggested limiting children’s use of digital devices until they are 13 to tackle a public health issue, The Guardian reported.
According to the report, the Spanish government wants children under 16 to use ‘dumbphones‘ with limited features and social media use should be discouraged for children under 12.
The panel also suggested that the Spanish government inquire about screen time during regular health checkups.
Additionally, the panel asked schools to prioritise traditional teaching methods for younger students and limit digital tools to create a better balance between technology and traditional education.
Spain is not the first country to go against technology. Recently, the Australian government has passed a new law that bans children under 16 from using social media apps, like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
The new law by the Australian government requires tech companies to prevent minors from logging in or they could face fines of up to $49.5 million (about $32 million).
The move comes in response to rising concerns over the impact of social media on the mental health of young people, especially with growing cases of deepfakes, cyberbullying, addiction and exposure to inappropriate content.
