A PYMNTS Company

Italian Senators Propose Law Targeting Social Media Addiction and Algorithm Transparency

By  |  April 1, 2026

Italian senators on Wednesday introduced draft legislation aimed at addressing social media addiction by increasing accountability for how online platforms distribute content to users. The proposal reflects mounting concern across Europe about the societal impact of digital platforms, particularly on younger audiences.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    According to Reuters, the initiative comes amid broader international scrutiny of major technology companies, following a recent U.S. ruling that found Meta and Alphabet’s Google negligent for designing platforms considered harmful to young people. Italian lawmakers are now seeking to introduce stricter oversight measures that would reshape how these platforms operate.

    The proposed bill, backed by the opposition Democratic Party (PD), would require social media companies to stop profiling users by default and to provide greater transparency into how their algorithms determine what content individuals see. Per Reuters, the legislation places particular emphasis on algorithmic accountability, arguing that the systems used to curate content play a central role in driving addictive behavior.

    “Every time we open a social network, an algorithm decides what we see – not by chance, but to keep us glued to the screen for as long as possible,” PD Senator Antonio Nicita said in a statement.

    The draft law also seeks to hold platforms responsible for the design of their content distribution systems, framing algorithmic choices as deliberate corporate decisions rather than neutral technical processes. According to Reuters, lawmakers view these design decisions as having significant societal consequences, particularly for minors.

    Read more: Appeals Court Lifts Injunction, Allowing Florida to Enforce Social Media Age Restriction Law

    Nicita, a former member of Italy’s communications watchdog Agcom, expressed optimism that the proposal could gain support across political lines. He noted that there is already broad agreement among lawmakers on restricting certain online practices affecting minors, though debates continue over how far regulations should extend into platform design.

    “This is a bipartisan issue, and at the moment everyone agrees on banning certain practices for minors,” Nicita said, adding that the core issue lies in how algorithms are built and deployed rather than in the content itself.

    Meanwhile, per Reuters, Italy’s co-ruling League party has introduced a separate proposal that would ban social media use for children under the age of 14. The measure aligns with similar efforts underway or being considered in other countries, underscoring a growing global push to regulate young people’s access to digital platforms.

    Together, the proposals signal a shift in focus among policymakers toward the structural features of social media systems, as governments increasingly look beyond content moderation to address the broader design and impact of online platforms.

    Source: Reuters