10-15 percent excise tax on social media
According to a politician from the Liberal party, yes the tax could be 10-15%, and the proceeds should be used to protect children and young people against the negative effects of algorithms used by online platforms. These funds are also intended to support psychiatric treatment of already addicted people.
“The effects of social media on the brain are documented. People almost become addicted to things that negatively affect their well-being. They are drawn into extreme things. “Girls are fed sick ideals of beauty,” Pehrson justified his proposal.
The negative impact of social media
In its 2024 report, the Swedish internet foundation Internetstiftelsen pointed out that the negative effects of using platforms such as Instagram or TikTok are most visible among young women. Teenagers themselves admit that they spend too much time in front of the phone screen. Another conclusion is the feeling of being less attractive as a result of the content suggested by algorithms.
“There is a connection between how much time you spend on social media and your mood” – emphasized Mans Jonasson from the Internetstiftelsen foundation during the presentation of the report at the end of September. According to the expert, the best behavioral scientists work for the largest technology companies, owners of social media, who are constantly improving the algorithms. “The competition is very unequal, although we see that something is starting to improve . In the youngest group, fewer people use TikTok,” he added.
Sweden returns to paper textbooks
In schools and kindergartens in Sweden, there is a retreat from the use of digital screens in favor of traditional blackboards and textbooks. At the beginning of September, the Office of Public Health issued recommendations to parents and guardians on limiting the time children spend in front of smartphones and computers. Attention was paid to, among others: on adolescents’ sleep problems caused by the use of digital content.
From Stockholm Daniel Zyśk (PAP)
