Last week, a five-year-old boy was killed in a serious road accident in Rome. The crash was caused by a group of young adults apparently filming their journey for a so-called challenge for YouTube (see video above). Italian politicians now want to take action against such dangerous online challenges on social media, and several parties are demanding hefty penalties for inciting them.
The liberal center party Azione also wants to submit a bill to parliament to ban social media for children under the age of 13. Teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15 should only access social media with parental consent, party leader Carlo Calenda said.
Age verification should help
It is based on a law already passed in France. Social networks should introduce a system to verify users’ identities, Calenda demanded. The aim is to protect minors. In Italy, the minimum age for entry is 14 years old. However, social media also allows users 13 and older if they have parental consent. However, de facto, the actual age is not checked in Italy.
Toddler died in hospital
The reason for the debate was the fatal traffic accident last week involving a group of young YouTubers, which caused commotion and outrage. A five-year-old boy was killed in a collision in a suburb of Rome. His three-year-old sister and mother were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The family’s small car collided with a luxury SUV in a residential area. The toddler died after being admitted to the hospital.
No skid marks visible
According to previous knowledge, the Lamborghini SUV was borrowed to make YouTube videos while driving. The public prosecutor is investigating the driver for the offense of manslaughter on the road. The YouTubers are suspected of reckless and speeding because of a so-called challenge that was filmed. Investigators said there were no skid marks on the road. Police confiscated the smartphones of the SUV’s occupants, which may have distracted the group.
Source: Krone
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