The Ministry of Youth and Children has already appointed the 50 members of the committee of experts who, over the next six months, will analyze the impact of technologies on minors and design a plan to protect them from the risks of internet and promote responsible use of digital devices. The president of the committee is Ana Caballero, president of the European Association for the Digital Transition, which last February presented in the Congress of Deputies a State pact to protect minors in the digital field that has the support of 150 entities, including the State Attorney General's Office.
âLas big tech (Google, Amazon, Meta or TikTok) want to regulate themselves, to be judge and party, but we defend that there be state regulation because these are tools that affect fundamental rights, we are talking about the best interest of the minor,” Caballero said in statements to this newspaper after pointing out that the arrival of the first mobile phone for personal use in Spain is around 10 years away, 90.8% of adolescents connect to the Internet almost every day and the 98% are registered on some social network.
Other members of the team, who this Tuesday held the first meeting with Minister Sira Rego to establish the main lines of action, are Mar España, the director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency; Cani Fernández, president of the National Commission on Markets and Competition, or Enrique Benítez, head of the public sector area of the ODISEIA Observatory for the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, proposed by the Ministry of the Presidency. There are also technicians from INCIBE (National Cybersecurity Institute), INTEF (National Institute of Educational Technologies dependent on the Ministry of Education), Unicef, the Children's Platform, the Youth Council or foundations FAD Juventud and Anar, as well as psychologists, sexologists (such as Alejandro Villena or Miriam Al Adib, who will advise on porn consumption and its effects on minors), or psychiatrists specialized in adolescence and representatives of the main educational unions (CCOO , UGT and ANPE) and confederations of mothers and fathers associations.
The committee's task is to design a roadmap to promote a safe digital environment for minors. To do this, already published studies will be put on the table, both from a sociological and neuroscientific point of view, on issues such as the time that adolescents dedicate to devices, the effects on mental health, the approach that is being raising from educational centers and the problems of families to get involved in the use that their children make of the smartphones due to the lack of conciliation. The idea is to develop a strategy that allows the different actions to be coordinated with other ministries such as Education or Health. “The exposure of minors to screens is one of the hottest topics, what is happening represents a new configuration of social relations and we are going to lead an intergenerational agreement to protect young people,†said the minister. Rego.
The report will include recommendations for actions and measures to be implemented in the short, medium and long term, so that public administrations “guarantee a framework of prevention, early detection and protection against a possible violation of the rights of minors” in the digital tone. It has not yet been determined whether this document will be used for the preparation of the new law for the protection of minors on the Internet announced by President Pedro Sánchez.
The creation of this committee comes after last December the Spanish Data Protection Agency announced that it is working together with the National Mint and Stamp Factory – an entity that issues, for example, electronic signature certification― in the design of a new “effective†age verification tool in response to the platforms’ refusal online to block minors' access to inappropriate content – they hide behind the fact that such a solution is not technically viable without invading the privacy of users by accumulating and processing personal data, such as those relating to age – .
The 50 members of the expert committee:
â Ana Caballeropresident of the European Association for the Digital Transition.
â Mar Españadirector of the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD).
â Cani Fernándezpresident of the National Commission on Markets and Competition.
â Pablo Morenofrom the Children's Observatory of the General Directorate of Children's Rights.
â‹…Ángel Pedro Condeof the State Council for the Participation of Children and Adolescents.
â‹…Germán AntÃ3n Trugedaresponsible for Education of the Youth Council of Spain.
⋅Laura Báez, responsible for feminism at the Youth Council of Spain.
â‹…Félix Antonio Barriodirector of the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE).
“…Julio Albaladdirector of the National Institute of Educational Technologies (INTEF).
â Beatriz MartÃngeneral director of the FAD Youth Foundation.
â‹…Ignacio Guadixresponsible for Education and Digital Children's Rights at UNICEF Spain.
â‹…Catalina PerazzoDirector of Advocacy at the NGO Save The Chidren.
â Ricardo Ibarradirector of the Platform of Children's Organizations.
â‹…Luis Cayo Pérezpresident of the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI).
â BenjamÃn Ballesterostechnical director of the ANAR Foundation.
â‹…César Renduelessenior scientist at the CSIC Institute of Philosophy.
â Cristina CorderoPediatrician and coordinator of the Neurodevelopment Working Group of the Spanish Society of Neuropediatrics (SENEP).
â Anabel Arias, expert in digital rights of the Council of Consumers and Users.
â Encarna Cuencapresident of the State School Council.
â‹…MarÃa Capellánpresident of the Spanish Confederation of Student Parents' Associations (CEAPA).
â‹…Pedro José Caballeropresident of the National Catholic Confederation of Parents and Parents of Students (CONCAPA).
â‹…Karoline Fernández de la Hozpresident of the Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia.
â Enrique BenÃtezresponsible for the public sector area of the observatory for the social and ethical impact of artificial intelligence Odyssey.
â Valentina Milano, Doctor in Law from the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). In recent years, she has been responsible for coordinating the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking.
â‹…María Salmeróncoordinator and author of the digital family plan of the Spanish Pediatric Association.
â Agapito Pageotechnician at the European Association for the Digital Transition.
â‹…Laura DavaraPhD in Law and expert lawyer in data protection, social networks and minors.
â‹…Javier Zarzuelapublic school teacher and author of Stop TIC Infanciawhere he talks about the negative effect of ICT on learning.
â‹…Telmo Lazkanopsychotherapist awarded by the Department of Health of the Basque Government for his work on addictions on how to wean secondary school students from mobile phones.
Maitane Ormazabal, professor specialized in therapeutic pedagogy. Co-author of the book The voices of silence. Adolescent mental health in the decade of change.
â‹…Pilar Tintorépresident of the section on the rights of children and adolescents of the Illustrious College of Lawyers of Barcelona (ICAB).
â‹…Alejandro Villena, general health psychologist and sexologist. Research director of the Dale Una Vuelta Association, a social and aid project to confront addiction to pornography.
â‹…Joana Migueleneaprofessor in the Social Education degree at the University of the Empty Country and member of the IkasGaraia research group.
â‹…Laura Brothersfounder of the Malasmadres Club and author of the book I don't quit.
â‹…Ruth Vidrialesresponsible for the TEA advice and guidance area of the Spanish Autism Confederation.
â‹…Anna Bioscahead of digital communication for the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersexuals and more (FELGTBI+).
â‹…Emilio Pucciosecretary general of the European Parliament intergroup on children's rights.
â Ricard MartÃnezprofessor of Constitutional Law at the University of Valencia, where he directs the Chair of Privacy and Digital Transformation.
â Antonio Rial Boudetadoctor in Psychology and professor of Social Research Methodology at the University of Santiago de Compostela and member of the UNESCO High Commissioner for the fight against bullying and cyberbullying.
⋅Fernando Suárezpresident of the General Council of Computer Engineering and the International Institute of Technology and Digital Law Foundation.
â‹…Abigail Huertaspsychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health of the Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital.
â‹…Laura Cuesta Canoassociate professor at the Camilo José Cela University of Madrid.
“…Miriam Al AdibGynecologist and professor of the Master's Degree in Sexology at the University of Extremadura.
â Isabel Peñalosadirector of institutional relations and legal advice of the Spanish Association of Foundations, an entity that brings together more than 900 foundations from various fields of social action.
â‹…Beatriz Izquierdograduated in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid.
â Francisco Escuderoof the ANPE union.
â‹…Antonio Mestrefrom the UGT union.
â Representative of the CCOO union (name to be confirmed).
â‹…Representative of the Spanish Public Health Society (name to be confirmed).
â Member of the Young Digital Advisory Council (name to be confirmed).