Valruzia

[Aethan]

Valruzia to enforce social media ban on minors: "The most powerful network for youngsters is a book"

Government announces intention to implement sweeping digital restrictions, targeting underage users and unregulated influencer content

May 5682

---

Valruzia is set to become the first country in Seleya to ban access to social media for minors under fourteen, in what officials describe as a "measure to protect mental health and restore focus among the nation’s youth". The new Digital Wellbeing and Protection Act, proposed by the Nowik cabinet and that is guaranteed to be approved by the Sejm at least with the votes of the coalition members, would then come into force one year from its approval.

Under the law, platforms such as TogoTik, Instantpix, Chatr and ViewMe will be required to verify users’ ages through government-issued identification, as failure to comply will lead to steep fines and, in repeated cases, suspension of services across Valruzia.

"We are protecting our youth with these measures" said Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs Nadia Samborska during the announcement in Nowogard. "We do believe that the most powerful network for our youth is still a book: it doesn’t track you, it doesn’t manipulate you, and it doesn’t sell your insecurities back to you. It lets your imagination float and gain huge and valuable knowledge without being exposed to other harmful influences".

Valruzia ranks among the ten most populous nations on Terra with over 160 million inhabitants, making it one of the largest and most profitable markets for global tech and social media companies. Industry analysts warn that the new restrictions proposed by the Nowik government, if approved, could set a precedent with enormous financial implications, as platforms risk losing tens of millions of underage users and their advertising revenue. Executives from TogoTik and Instantpix have already expressed "serious concerns" about the scope of the law and are reportedly studying legal avenues to appeal certain provisions proposed in the draft. The government is reportedly in contact with some mobile companies to develop new devices targeted at these underage population, which would allow only the usual calling options but without any access to internet whatsoever.

But apart from restricting underage access, the Act would also introduce the country's first comprehensive regulation of influencer marketing and digital personalities, with any content creator which earns over VPO 200,000 annually through online platforms being legally classified as a "commercial communicator" and therefore subject to taxation, transparency, and advertising laws similar to traditional media. This law would also force these influencers to clearly label their paid promotions, and new prohibitions will target the advertising of gambling, aesthetic surgery, weight-loss products, high-risk financial services aimed at minors and other issues. The Ministry of Health also confirmed the creation of a state-run Registry of Digital Content Producers, where online influencers must register before publishing sponsored material, as according to Mrs. Samborska, "digital influence is a form of power, and all forms of power must be accountable according to our law. The goal here is not to censor, but rather to bring order and honesty to a largely unregulated digital economy"

After the announcement of the new Digital Act, public reaction has been divided. Parent associations and education experts have largely support the initiative, citing studies linking heavy social media use to depression, attention problems and eating disorders among adolescents among other issues such as harassment and bullying.

"Teachers can see the effects every day" said Dr. Agnieszka Morawska, psychologist at the University of Gryfitow. "We are raising children who can edit videos but can’t hold eye contact for more than ten seconds or cannot have a normal conversation without relying on insults, or cannot connect properly more than three sentences"

However, civil liberties groups and several politicians have warned of "excessive state paternalism". Valruzian Alliance and Forward Valruzia have argued that the policy only "infantilizes the young and risks pushing them toward underground networks beyond government reach", but Workers' Vanguard have announced their affirmative vote to the Act.

Popular Valruzian TogoTik creator, Lidia Wenczak, has called the law "a digital curfew and an attack of independent personalities", adding that the government should focus on better online education "instead of turning the internet into a gated city"

However, the Nowik government insists that the move is not about censorship, but more about education and protection. "Social media has become the public school of values for many" said Minister of Education Katarzyna Prokop, who also took her chance to criticize parents who rely on excess on digital devices such as phones or tablets to "entertain their own children without having to waste their own time with them", and announced that her ministry is already drafting a proposal to ban digital tablets in schools as substitutes of the "classical books" used for teaching.

According to data from the Valruzian Institute for Social Studies, 71% of parents support the under-14 ban, but only 39% believe it will be effectively enforced. Meanwhile, bookstores and libraries have reported a sharp increase in youth memberships and sales of physical books since the announcement. As a symbolic gesture, the Ministry of Education has already launched the campaign #ReadToReconnect, encouraging families to replace one hour of daily screen time with shared reading or outdoor activities, and featuring many well-known Valruzian personalities such as social media influencer Julia Kosewska or award-winning actor Filip Mroz, known for his work in the multiple award-winning series "Hell on Terra".