The debate over age restrictions for social-media platforms continues to engage the Italian government, Parliament, and families. Commenting after Australia’s decision to bar under-16s from social networks, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara told Il Foglio that the move “goes in the right direction,” especially because it places greater accountability on the platforms themselves.

Valditara sees 15 as a balanced threshold for Italy, aligning with a bipartisan bill already under discussion. The aim, he explained, is to protect young people who are “not yet fully equipped” to handle platforms designed to foster dependency.

But the minister warns that a legal ban alone is ineffective. Without active involvement from schools - through digital-education programs - and from families, he argues, regulatory limits will be little more than words on paper. The State can set rules, Valditara concludes, but only shared parental responsibility can make them meaningful.