Proposal to Enshrine Protection of Children from the Harms of Social Media in Israeli Law

Why Recommendations Are Not Enough

According to data from the World Health Organization’s 2025 report, as cited in the publication, approximately 16.3% of children and adolescents in Israel are considered addicted to screens. The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding screens entirely until age two, and thereafter imposing age-appropriate time limits and supervising content. Soroker supports these measures but emphasizes that the state should not place full responsibility on busy parents.

What Is Proposed for Regulation

The author calls for mandatory rules to be directed first and foremost at social media networks. These would restrict infinite scrolling, autoplay, “like” counts, personalized advertising and other mechanisms that keep minors connected. The publication argues that prolonged use of social media is associated with sleep and mental health problems, eating disorders, loneliness and bullying.

The American and European Examples

As an example, Soroker cites an August 2026 ruling by a court in the State of New Mexico. According to the author’s description, Meta was fined $576 million to fund an educational and rehabilitation program. The court also ordered the deletion of accounts belonging to children under age 13, restrictions on minors’ access during school hours and at night, an end to “like” counts, and a total daily limit of three hours on Facebook and Instagram for teenagers aged 13–18. The case number and the name of the court are not specified in the source.

For Now, This Is a Call to Action, Not a New Law

According to the publication, legislative recommendations are being formulated in the European Union: a ban on social media use until age 13, supervised access from ages 13 to 18, and a special “teen mode” on platforms. It is further proposed to restrict advertising aimed at children, sexual content, the use of minors as influencers, and the manipulative influence of artificial intelligence software. The source does not report the enactment of a similar law in Israel: Soroker’s article is a professional opinion and a call for legislative action.

Latest legal news

• IDF largely halts proactive draft-dodger arrests despite High Court order
• Tax Authority seeks NIS 238 million back from northern businesses
• NIS 35 million compensation pilot for protection-racket victims begins