The impunity of big tech companies is over in the United Kingdom. Or at least that is what Prime Minister Keir Starmer intends, who this Monday made a 180-degree turn and announced the prohibition of access for minors under sixteen years of age to social networks. Furthermore, adolescents up to 18 years of age will also have their ability to continuously browse social networks until late at night restricted, in what has been compared to a kind of curfew, in this case, technological. The legislative reform also aims to go further with changes to video game and live streaming platforms, so that strangers cannot contact minors. Last week, Starmer already gave an "ultimatum to Google and Apple to activate mechanisms that prevent minors from sending, receiving, or making sexually explicit images from their mobile phones.

What should the relationship between parents and their children be like when the latter begin to delve into the world of social media? How do the algorithms work? What security measures should families and children take? Or what red lines cannot be crossed to guarantee good management? A window in your pocket (Editorial Mediterrània) is a family story, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, that answers all these questions. The story stems from three years of research by communication PhDs Mireia Montaña Blasco, from the UOC, and Mònika Jiménez-Morales, from the UPF, on how young people use social media. More than 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 participated in the research, explaining how they use platforms like TikTok and what the consequences are.

Do I agree with not giving mobile phones to children until they are 16? Generally speaking, yes, although biological age isn't necessarily the most important factor in assessing the negative impact of using these devices. Furthermore, social media has many other entry points. The policy of providing computers to all students makes access to inappropriate content widespread. And, above all, addictive practices extend to other screens available at home, such as tablets.

This week, Pedro Sánchez announced at an international summit in Dubai that he will prohibit "access to social media for minors under 16." The announcement has sparked reactions, so many that even Elon Musk, on X, has labeled Sánchez a true "totalitarian." Musk's reaction is significant because it means the underlying message has gotten through: tech platforms, we will not allow you to make more money at the expense of our children's health and well-being. For me, this is the first message that should be heard everywhere. The second clear message is that we have made a mistake by facilitating indiscriminate access to social media so early, and it is necessary to reverse a situation that has lasted far too long and has more harm than good. We need a cultural shift in our relationship with digital technology. The data on usage time (more than 5 hours a day) and its direct impact on children's development, the average age of first use (11 years old), and the amplification of behaviors such as... cyberbullying (25% in girls and adolescents) or access to inappropriate content (pornography and extreme violence from the age of 10) are urgently needed.