Momentum backs MP Ivan Bartolo’s bill on loneliness, proposes bold enhancements to protect Maltese youth

Momentum expresses its firm support for the Private Member’s Bill moved by Hon. Ivan Bartolo, titled the “Combating of Loneliness and the Strengthening of the Well-being of Society Act, 2026”. We commend Ivan Bartolo for his proactive leadership on this front, recognising that the State has a positive obligation to promote social connection and human connectivity as a matter of public health.

Momentum views this bill as a courageous step toward addressing the “epidemic of social isolation”. We particularly welcome the proposal to integrate mindfulness and digital literacy into the national curriculum to equip the next generation with essential life skills. While we fully back the motion, we believe it can be further strengthened to ensure Malta leads the way in digital well-being:

• Suspending addictive algorithms 24/7: The proposed bill seeks to prohibit features like “Infinite Scroll” and “Auto-play” for minors between 22:00 and 07:00. Momentum suggests that the addictive nature of these algorithms has absolutely no benefit at any time and should be suspended entirely for minors, regardless of the time. Protecting children from design features intended to maximise screen time at the expense of mental health should not be a part-time commitment.
• A universal ban under 16: The bill currently proposes that children aged 13 to 16 may access social media with “Verified Parental Consent”. Momentum advocates for a simpler, more protective approach similar to that of France: a total ban on social media access for all children under 16. Without a clear legislative ban, parents are often inevitably forced to comply with their children’s requests for social media access simply to prevent them from being ostracised by peers who are already on these platforms. To support families in the interim, Momentum expresses strong support for “Parent Pledges,” where communities of parents collectively agree to keep their teenagers off social media, fostering a shared environment of safety.

To ensure these protections do not come at the cost of personal liberty, Mark Camilleri Gambin, General Secretary of Momentum, had proposed a technical solution through a paper published on the European Democratic Party platform. Titled “Protecting Children without the privacy nightmare of Digital IDs”, the proposal suggests moving away from invasive surveillance.

Instead of heavy-handed Digital IDs, Camilleri Gambin proposes utilising a secure signal directly from a device’s operating system. By having parents activate a simple “is this device for a minor?” flag, apps and browsers could query a binary “isMinor: true/false” status via an API. This allows for effective age verification and the enforcement of the “Right to Disconnect” without turning child protection into a surveillance nightmare or requiring the uploading of government documents.

Mark Camilleri Gambin stated: “Hon. Ivan Bartolo has provided a brilliant foundation for a more connected Malta. By aligning this bill with a full social media ban for under-16s and adopting privacy-preserving technology to enforce it, we can protect our children’s mental health while respecting the privacy of every Maltese, and European, citizen. We look forward to seeing this motion progress.”

Momentum remains committed to a Malta where technology serves humanity, rather than the other way around, and will continue to support any legislative efforts that prioritise well-being.

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