Experts call for debate on regulating social media use among Latin American youth

Experts from Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador have called for a broad debate on regulating social media use among young people in Latin America.

The appeal came from a forum held in Costa Rica on regulating social networks and fighting disinformation. Organizers said the issue deserves attention because Latin America and the Caribbean has the world's highest average daily social-media use, at three and a half hours, according to data from the United Nations Development Programme.

Participants urged discussion of possible rules governing cellphone and social-media use among children and adolescents. They said young people themselves should take part, using methods that recognize differences in their backgrounds, circumstances, capacities and skills.

Parents, governments and technology companies should also be involved, the forum's statement said. It pointed to challenges already seen in other parts of the world, including the European Union and Australia, where such measures are being promoted or applied. The forum was organized by a project supporting independent journalism and the fight against disinformation, funded by the European Union in partnership with the UNDP.