M5S motion proposes under-3 screen ban and supervision to age 12

Filippo Scerra of the Movimento 5 Stelle tabled motion 1-00608 in Italy's Chamber of Deputies on 19 October 2026, according to the motion. The motion proposes banning digital devices and video games for children under three and allowing their use between the ages of three and 12 only under adult supervision. It commits the government to act within a regulatory framework coordinated at European level.

The motion also calls for stricter age limits for access to social networks, greater obligations for platform operators and structured prevention and training programmes. It cites World Health Organization data stating that more than 11% of adolescents show signs of problematic social media use and that 12% are at risk of problematic gaming behaviour. It also cites a figure that 80% of children aged three to five regularly use their parents' smartphones.

The text refers to scientific concern about early and prolonged screen exposure, which it links to possible learning difficulties, reduced concentration, sleep changes, mood disorders and social isolation. It describes nomofobia as a form of dependence tied to being unable to use or access one's mobile phone, with manifestations that can include anxiety, difficulty concentrating and compulsive behaviour, and it draws analogies with some behavioural disorders associated with gambling. It also addresses cyberbullying, online grooming, inappropriate content, artificial intelligence systems designed to simulate emotional relationships, sharenting and kidfluencers.

On education, the signatories call for involving families and teachers directly, including structural training courses on the risks of excessive or improper use of video games, mobile phones and other digital tools within health education initiatives, and periodic awareness campaigns for parents, teachers and educators, including through schools. The motion also asks the national health service to carry out a systematic survey of clinical cases linked to digital dependence and improper internet use, to quantify the health services provided, assess their costs and plan prevention measures and specific treatment paths for minors and their families.

The motion also refers to European initiatives for the safety of minors online and to the need to coordinate national provisions, with greater responsibility for digital platforms. For the video games sector it envisages access rules based on age and adult supervision. Whether the measures are introduced will depend on subsequent government initiatives and the legislative process, the report said.