“We presented a law proposal to regulate the phenomena of sharenting and gods baby influencers, in order to regulate theexposure of minors in the times of social media and protect theirs privacy, their growth path and ensure that there can be no repercussions on their lives and well-being in the future.” The deputy claimed it M5s Gilda Sportiellothe first signatory of the proposal, during a press conference in the Chamber of Deputies, which was also attended by the former president of the 1st Constitutional Affairs Commission of Montecitorio and pedagogist Giuseppe Bresciathe journalist Selvaggia Lucarelli and industry experts, such as Francesca Cardinipsychologist and psychotherapist, e Pietro Ferrarafull professor of general pediatrics at the Campus Bio-medico University.
“Our proposal intervenes on two aspects: on the cases in which i minors are used on social media to generate profitsso they transform into baby influencers; and compared to sharentingwhich exposes children to serious risks. Often parents who share photos and data of their children are unaware of the dangers that concern not only the formation of the child’s psychophysical health, but also the risk that this data gets out of control. It is estimated that many end up in child pornography networks. But there is also the danger, through geolocalisation, that they become the driving force of solicitation resulting in much more serious episodes”, reports Sportiello.
With regard to the phenomenon of baby influencers, the proposed law provides for “an authorization, limited to six months, by the competent provincial labor directorate, as happens for other types of participation of minors in cultural events. After 6 months this authorization must be re-evaluated, revoked if the conditions are met, or renewed. But continuous monitoring is needed,” the parliamentarian explained during the conference. Furthermore, “the proceeds from this activity should be kept in a dedicated current accountregistered to the minor, and by the court entrusted to a curator. This is to ensure that the minor himself, upon reaching the age of 18, takes possession of the profits that his image has generated. We foresee an exception: upon reaching the age of 16, a portion may be allocated to carrying out activities that concern him, always based on court decisions”.
“Children are behind the success of many of the most well-known profiles on the web. I think of the case of Ferragnez who shared thousands of videos and images of minors, even publishing images from video surveillance cameras. When the media break between the two occurred, the management of minors’ privacy also became a public issue, with the children suddenly shown from behind, and the followers complaining as if the Dazn signal had gone off “, has explained Selvaggia Lucarelli. Not without remembering how “digital oblivion” is “a beautiful expression”, but that in fact “it does not exist at the moment in which those images can always be published by someone at any time”. “It is often very difficult to achieve even from a technical point of view,” added Brescia.
“It’s time for the law to intervene, to do so for the good of minors and of society as a whole,” continued Lucarelli. Other legislative proposals on the same topic, meanwhile, have been presented in Parliament, including one from the group of Green Left Alliance. But above all it will be necessary to find bipartisan convergences to hope that – as happened in France – a law regulating the social exposure of minors can be discussed and then approved. Sportiello is aware of this and relaunches the appeal: “I hope in support from other political forces. Have there been discussions with representatives and majority forces? I believe that on the issue of the protection of minors there is space to find transversal convergences.”
