“Children should sleep at night”. That was the message from Johan Pehrson when last week he raised the idea of a “child lock” on streaming services, games, and social media after 11 pm on weekdays. The hope is to reduce negative effects that come from screen time, such as concentration difficulties.
The Liberals’ focus on screens does not stop there, however. The party has also proposed that parental permission should be required for children who want to start accounts in social media, and that social media giants should be called to parliament to discuss the effects on children.
Now the party takes another step and raises the issue to the EU level. Before the EU elections, the party proposes that the union should classify social media for children as a “harmful product”, similar to how the EU deals with tobacco companies.
– More and more countries are acting on these issues because you see that the children are being harmed, Johan Pehrson tells SVT.
According to L, the classification would open the door to stricter regulation. In addition to child locks and parental approval of accounts, the party wants to push tech companies to provide simple tools for parents who want to limit screen time.
– In the EU, we have the power together to limit and ensure that we set demands on the internet giants, regardless of whether they manufacture phones or platforms.
“Has become a talking point”
SVT’s domestic political commentator Elisabeth Marmorstein sees the fact that L increases screen time just before the EU elections as an extension of the party’s attempt to profile itself in school issues. In addition, the proposal is sufficiently sensational to have an impact, she says.
– As a small party, it’s important to find an issue that makes you stand out, that simply becomes a talking point, and that’s what the Liberals’ crusade against the screens has become.
But even if the outcome can certainly go down well with worried parents, L cannot expect any sharp upward curves in public opinion, says Marmorstein.
– The question hardly has the dignity that it determines the choice of party.