«ديسكوفر» في فلورنسا.. خطة إنقاذ الشباب من الانفصال عن الواقع الاجتماعي

The city of Florence has launched a project that is the first of its kind in Italy to address the risks of digital addiction among youth, by opening the (Discover – Fuori dal guscio) center, which specializes in promoting conscious use of modern technologies and reducing the phenomenon of disconnection from social reality.

The agreement for the project was signed with the participation of the local health authority, the Municipality of Florence, and the social cooperative. The center is the first Italian initiative aimed at addressing the consequences of excessive screen and digital platform use, a phenomenon that is expanding among boys and girls and leaving increasing social and cultural impacts.

The official in charge of youth policies in the Municipality of Florence, Letizia Perini, stated: “Digital technology has become an essential part of the lives of new generations,” emphasizing the need to guide youth towards a more balanced use between the virtual world and daily life, including relationships, sports, and culture.

Diverse European Approaches

The launch of the center comes at a time when European discussions on protecting minors online are expanding; Australia recently adopted legislation requiring service providers to verify users' ages, while France has become the first European country to impose a ban on the use of social media for those under 15 starting next September.

The United Kingdom has also announced a plan to impose a “curfew” on social media platforms for the age group between 16 and 17, while other European countries, such as Greece, Slovenia, Sweden, and Spain, are considering similar restrictions on minors.

Italy Bets on Prevention

In contrast to these measures, Italy has chosen a preventive approach through the (Discover) project, which will begin operations after the summer, targeting the age group between 10 and 25 years. The center is based on two pillars: directed disconnection from the network and promoting conscious use of technology, aiming to transform youth from passive consumers into active managers of their digital time.

The Retesviluppo cooperative will manage the center through a specialized team with ten years of experience in schools, offering services that include guidance, listening, and workshops that combine media education with enhancing the social dimension through group activities, games, and manual skills.

In complex cases such as social withdrawal or psychological distress, the local health authority can intervene by coordinating specialist services, ensuring the integration of prevention with ongoing professional support.

Valerio Mari, the director of the Asl Toscana centro authority, confirmed that “the project represents a necessary step that has long been awaited,” stressing the importance of combining prevention with continuous communication with specialized services, moving away from a simplistic ban logic, and working to reweave the social ties threatened by digital isolation.