“This cannot be resolved by law alone.” Sherzod Shermatov on banning children's use of networks

“This cannot be solved by law alone.” Sherzod Shermatov on banning children from using networks

During the "Investing in Child Wellbeing" global summit held in Samarkand, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov, in a conversation with a Gazeta correspondent, expressed his position on the issue of legally restricting the use of social networks by children under the age of 16 in Uzbekistan as well. In his opinion, to address the problem, alongside legal measures, attention must also be focused on family upbringing, a healthy lifestyle, and organizing children's leisure time meaningfully.

According to Sherzod Shermatov, new technologies create opportunities for children in education and other spheres, but there are also risks associated with their use. The World Health Organization highlights spending too much time in front of screens, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity among the factors affecting children's health.

“Indicators related to child and maternal mortality in Uzbekistan have decreased, and positive changes have been observed in this regard. At the same time, we need to pay attention to minors' excessive use of phones and other gadgets, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. It is important to reduce the time children spend in front of screens, form a healthy lifestyle, and increase their physical activity,” the minister says.

In his view, to reduce the time minors spend using gadgets, it is important to offer them interesting activities outside the screen and create conditions for them to talk and play together with their peers.

“I am saying this not only as the Minister of Digital Technologies, but also as a father of four children and a specialist who has worked in the field of education. We need to create conditions for our children to move more, eat healthily, and play together with their real-life friends rather than playing screen games,” says Sherzod Shermatov.

The minister also emphasized that the challenges facing children change over time. According to him, nine or ten years ago, the involvement of children in cotton fields was one of the pressing problems in Uzbekistan. Today, new risks are emerging, and collaboration among experts is necessary to find effective solutions to them.

Answering the question of whether the use of networks by minors should be legally restricted, he noted that approaching the issue solely from a legislative standpoint is not enough.

“How much time do we spend talking to children in the family? When we go home, do we converse with them, or is everyone busy with a phone or television? Children's use of the internet can be restricted at school, but there is also the matter of the environment in the family,” the minister says.

In his opinion, there is no single solution regarding the restriction of children's internet use that works equally effectively in all countries. Alongside legislative measures, it is necessary to develop a program that also encompasses organizational efforts and opportunities for children to spend their leisure time meaningfully.

“If a law is passed, all problems will not be solved the very next day. Even in countries that have introduced such restrictions, the issue has not been fully resolved. Experts should work together to prepare a comprehensive program. Based on the discussions at the summit and the recommendations of experts, a roadmap should be developed, and the relevant ministries and agencies should improve their work,” says Sherzod Shermatov.

To the question about how many minors use the internet, the minister did not provide specific statistical figures. However, he mentioned that gadget use among children is widespread, and some parents give a phone to their child just so they stop crying or sit quietly.

“Some parents, instead of paying attention to their child, hand them a phone so they don't cry. Even around the family dinner table, instead of talking to each other, they eat while looking at their phones. This is an issue that the entire society needs to work on together,” says the minister.