In an interview, Amat Garcia stressed that online interaction depends directly on the emotional maturity of the adolescent. He highlighted that social networks are "designed to create addiction," and the younger the person, the higher the risk, as minors lack the capacity to manage their usage or understand the real consequences.
“"We should not talk about prohibition, but about protection. It is about taking care of the most vulnerable sector of our society. Perhaps it is not the definitive solution, but we must start somewhere."
The psychologist explained that vulnerability is exacerbated by brain development. The adolescent brain, which is highly plastic, is not fully formed until approximately 21 or 23 years old, making it more susceptible to addictions. This immaturity leads young people to seek small dopamine releases and experience everything that happens in the digital environment with much greater intensity.
This intensity makes adolescents extremely vulnerable to both positive effects (like a 'like') and negative ones (like a hate comment). Amat Garcia warned that digital harassment can cause anxiety, depression, and a notable increase in self-harm cases among minors, as harassment is now constant, 24 hours a day, with no possibility of escape.
