Legal storm in Italy over social media child protection
Hi, my dear all friends, what's up, I hope everyone is well, and your mind is also in good shape. In this digital world, we see so much news every day, but there is some news that makes us think. Today, my mind was heavy after reading such news. So I thought I would share my feelings with you.

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An incident has recently created quite a stir in Italy. A group of Italian families has filed a lawsuit against Facebook, Instagram and TikTok — alleging that these social media giants are not taking enough responsibility for protecting children. They are allegedly using features and algorithms that are keeping children glued to screens for longer periods of time, and even affecting them mentally.
The story behind the case
This case was filed in the Milan court, where it is claimed that platforms should have a strong age verification system for users under the age of 14. Although Italian law restricts the use of social media under the age of 14, it is not being implemented in practice.
Children easily bypass age verification, said lawyer Renato Ambrosio, who is handling the case. “It’s not just breaking the rules, it’s also pushing them to psychological harm.”
MOIGE (Italian Parents’ Movement), an organization involved in the case, said that out of the nearly 90 million accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in Italy, about 3 million are underage users. Which is really worrying.
My personal opinion
I think this is not just an Italian issue; it’s now a global issue. Today’s children are growing up inside mobile screens. Their sleep time is decreasing, their attention is waning, and real-life relationships are gradually moving away. We adults may still use it wisely, but children don’t have that power. So all three parties — parents, institutions and the government — should take this responsibility together.
Court action
The case will be heard in the Milan Commercial Court in February 2026. The lawsuit demands that companies are more transparent about their algorithms and do not use systems that unknowingly affect users. Meta (owned by Facebook and Instagram) said that it has already launched "teenage accounts" for adolescents, which boundary can contact them, which materials can be seen, and how long they can stay on stage. But according to lawyers, these are still not enough.
Similar lawsuits are being filed against social media companies not only in Italy, but also in Australia, France, and even the United States. The allegations are almost the same; the platforms are addictive to teenagers and damaging their mental health. The mental health of this generation is now fighting a kind of invisible war, where the opponents are algorithms, advertising, and the addiction to endless scrolling.
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So I think this matter can set an example. If the court gives a difficult decision on child protection, other countries may be motivated to follow the same route. We all want our future generations to be safe, mental, social and digitally safe.
Friends, I would like to hear your thoughts, what do you think, should social media companies be more responsible?
Posted Using INLEO