“We must recreate meeting places” in front of social networks

Australia has prohibited social networks under 16. Is this the right solution to you?

I am in favor of that they are prohibited before 15 years, and that between 15 and 18 years alone of “ethical” networks are accessible. But it would still be necessary that there are really ethical networks. And above all, it will not be enough to say: “Stop Instagram and will play football”, to reinvest the real world. All teen interactions take place in this virtual world. We must therefore regulate networks and make a real place to adolescents in our towns and villages.

And in what way?

In the same way that we reintroduce green spaces, it is necessary to recreate places of meeting. The parks were gradually reserved for families and young children. In the countryside, many sports fields are locked to avoid damage. Result: networks become the only space of teen sociability. A simple measure, for example, would be to leave the school lessons open on weekends so that they can play ball.

Do you call for a kind of regional planning, in short?

Yes, it is also a societal issue. The screens increase the inequalities. The most educated and wealthy families can divert their children from the screens by directing them towards theater, music or drawing. This development plan must also go hand in hand with a decreasing price for cultural and sports activities.