Russian MP proposes banning social media for children under 14

A member of Russia’s State Duma has called for strict measures to regulate internet use, including banning children under 14 from accessing social networks, mandatory account verification through the government services portal “Gosuslugi,” and the blocking of fake accounts.

According to Gazeta.ru, Andrey Svintsov said that although such measures may be unpopular, they are necessary to protect society in the digital space. He argued that the state should assume responsibility for controlling social media registration.

“I also support the idea of completely banning social media for children under 14. Of course, some will try to register accounts through older siblings, but strict laws will force social networks to block such accounts. The state will have to take unpopular measures to protect children and parents,” Svintsov said.

He emphasised that mandatory verification of accounts would significantly reduce bot-generated content and ensure that each user confirms their identity via Gosuslugi. Svintsov noted that social networks do not always block fake accounts, and thus government intervention is necessary.

“Society has already experienced a serious moral decline. Even 1% of this digital horror is concerning,” he added, underscoring the urgency of such restrictive measures.

By Khagan Isayev