The first meeting of a public consultation exercise on a proposed reform of social media regulation was held Thursday, following the government's announcement of a process aimed at better protecting children and vulnerable persons from online harm.

The meeting brought together several entities involved in child protection within the Ministry for Social Policy and Children's Rights, along with the technical committee tasked with drafting the reform. Participants expressed broad consensus on the need for concrete measures to strengthen safeguards against the risks associated with social media use.

The discussion was chaired by Minister Michael Falzon and Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg. They focused on the social realities faced daily by authorities working in this field and on how the proposed reform should address these cases by providing stronger and more effective tools for protection.

There was also agreement that any new framework should strike a proper balance and should not undermine or unnecessarily restrict modern means of communication.

Minister Falzon said the aim of the reform is to provide stronger protection against content that harms vulnerable persons, building on existing legislation that already criminalises cyberbullying, cyberstalking and the creation of fake profiles. He explained that the consultation phase is intended to gather feedback from stakeholders before moving to implementation. "This is a reality we are facing, and as a responsible government we have a duty to ensure that our country has systems in place to safeguard the interests of minors online," he said.

Parliamentary Secretary Buttigieg described the reform as complex, noting that there is no single, simple solution. However, she said ignoring the challenges posed by social media would be irresponsible. She referred to testimonies heard from social sector workers about cases of abuse and victimisation, stressing that these realities require careful analysis and decisive action. The objective, she said, is to ensure that Malta takes the necessary steps to make the online environment safer for everyone.

The technical committee responsible for preparing recommendations to the government has opened submissions from the public on a green paper on media reform through the website publicconsultation.gov.mt. The consultation will remain open until 27 February, and two community meetings will also be held to allow members of the public to contribute their views.