The Portuguese parliament approved in the first reading a bill restricting the use of social networks by children and adolescents. The project requires clear and verified parental consent for those aged 13-16, and for those under 13, it aims to tighten control by tightening the existing ban. The document can also be changed before the final vote.
The Portuguese Social Democratic Party (PSD), which is the project's authors, explains this measure as protection against cyberbullying, harmful content, and predatory individuals. The Digital Mobile Key system is planned to be used to confirm consent and verify age, and if companies implement age-verification according to this mechanism, violators of the requirement may be fined up to 2% of their global income.
The restrictions cover networks such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, but WhatsApp, which many parents use to communicate with their child, is cited as an exception. At the same time, the Portuguese Socialist Party (PS) emphasizes that platforms should guarantee protective features that reduce the impact of violence, early sexual content, addictive games, and manipulated videos and images in an environment accessible to 13-16 year olds.
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