Bulgaria Considers Social Media Ban for Children Under 15 Amid Growing Health Concerns

The ruling party in Bulgaria, GERB, is considering a potential ban on social networks for children under 15, an issue that has recently gained attention in public discourse. The debate was initiated by Education Minister Krasimir Valchev, who announced plans to start discussions on the matter, citing ample evidence of the negative effects social media can have on young users.

The chairman of the Parliamentary Health Committee, Prof. Dr. Kostadin Angelov, also expressed his strong support for the proposed ban. Speaking on social media, Angelov described the impact of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube on children, emphasizing that these networks are not merely time-consuming but can significantly alter developing brains. According to Angelov, social media usage in children generates a cycle of dopamine-driven pleasure similar to gambling or drug addiction, which can foster neural dependence, anxiety, attention deficits, and sleep disturbances.

Angelov cited a documentary in which former engineers from Google, Facebook, and Twitter acknowledged that social media platforms are deliberately designed to exploit these psychological mechanisms, keeping users constantly engaged. One creator of the “Like” button noted that it was developed to reward every second of attention, further reinforcing addictive behavior.

Research data highlighted by Angelov indicate that children who spend more than three hours daily on social networks face a more than 60% higher risk of depression and anxiety. Additional consequences include a notable decline in concentration and social empathy. Psychologists have begun referring to this phenomenon as “digital withdrawal,” mirroring symptoms seen in substance addiction.

Angelov stressed that this is not a matter of limiting freedom but addressing a form of mass addiction in digital form. He called on adults to establish boundaries, ensuring that children are not left vulnerable to algorithms that manipulate their attention before they can develop as individuals. The proposed ban would aim to protect young people’s childhood, offering them time for play, communication, reading, and real-world experiences.

The initiative, first announced by Minister Valchev, is part of a broader effort to safeguard children’s mental health. Both Valchev and Angelov emphasized the urgent need for action, underlining the evidence of social networks’ detrimental effects and the responsibility of adults and policymakers to intervene.