The event, moderated by Joana Petiz, SAPO's Editorial Director, was attended by Madalena Albuquerque, MEO's CHRO and Administrator of the Fundação MEO; Mariana Reis, founder of the Mirabilis Association; Daniel Sampaio, retired Full Professor of Psychiatry; Sílvia Afonso, a pediatrician specializing in neurodevelopment; Lieutenant Hugo Guinote, Head of the PSP's Public Prevention and Proximity Division; and Pedro Corte-Real, an 11th grade student. During the debate, the speakers agreed on the importance of digital moderation as an essential tool for mitigating risks such as anxiety, depression and school difficulties. Daniel Sampaio stressed that "the internet is a wonderful thing", but that, like other areas of life, it should be used with balance. Madalena Albuquerque stressed that "technology is not here to make our lives worse, but to make them better", underlining MEO's commitment to digital responsibility. Since 2012, the Fundação MEO has been promoting digital literacy initiatives in partnership with the PSP, through the Safe School Program.
This year, the operator strengthened its activities through a partnership with the Mirabilis Association, focusing on providing educational information that contributes to the development of more moderate and safer digital routines. Mariana Reis argued that "it's not a question of stopping the wind with our hands, but of empowering parents, teachers and students with information and training to navigate the digital world safely". Sílvia Afonso warned of the effects of early screen use on children's development, pointing out that "the recommended exposure time for babies is zero".
Lieutenant Hugo Guinote highlighted the challenges of crime prevention in the face of constant digital exposure, but also the progress made in raising awareness among young people.
First school year without cell phones until 6th grade
A month after the return to school, the event promoted by MEO was also the stage for a first assessment of the impact of the new legislation banning the use of smartphones in schools for students in the 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education. "I think it was a good measure," admitted Daniel Sampaio. Regarding the extension of the legislation to secondary education, the doctor said he was not "delighted with the ban on teenagers". A different opinion was expressed by Mariana Reis, for whom "Everything doesn't have to be banned, but there should be regulation. We shouldn't be afraid of the word prohibition.
As parents, as educators, as a society, we have to have rules and sometimes those rules include prohibition. And forbidding is not bad. We can educate and prohibit with love". In addition to the legislative intervention, all the speakers defended the need for a multi-sectoral approach to face the challenges posed by the digital age. "Is it enough to ban cell phone use?" asked Madalena Albuquerque. "I think we're still doing too little! But we can't do it alone. It's not just one operator. It's not just Mirabilis. All of society must get involved because the risks are serious," she said.
Full screen - a preview to open the event
Before the debate, actors Maria Clementina and Miguel Lambertini presented an excerpt from the play 'Ecrã Total', a sarcastic, surprising and topical comedy about increasingly hyperconnected lives, the dictatorship of digital and human relationships in multitasking mode. The play, sponsored by MEO, will be on stage between November 5 and 29, from Wednesday to Saturday at Teatro Comuna in Lisbon. The premiere has already sold out. MEO, together with its Foundation, reaffirms its commitment to digital responsibility and the promotion of well-being, continuing to raise awareness in society of the risks of technological dependency and the importance of the conscious use of technology.