Feb 07, 2026
3 min read
BLOGGER'S CORNER. The question raised by Sanchez certainly raises questions for our country as well. Ignore this possibility...
The reflection, initiated by the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, on the possibility of connecting access to social networks to verified systems of digital identity raises a very serious question about the future of European democracies.This is not a sectoral or simply a technological intervention, but a proposal that directly affects the protection of citizens, the quality of public debate and national and European sovereignty in the digital space.
In recent years, the fragility of the online information ecosystem has become increasingly evident.Social platforms, today essential for democratic life, have also become special vehicles for the dissemination of disinformation, fake news and campaigns to manipulate public opinion.Phenomena that are no longer caused solely by internal forces, but are often linked to the disruption and disruption of activities carried out by foreign actors that undermine European democracy.
In this context, the structural anonymity that characterizes a large part of online interactions represents an important factor.The possibility of action without responsibility favors the use of social media tools for hostile purposes: from the suppression of political debate to the weakening of institutions, to the weakening of citizens' trust in democratic processes.The idea of combining access to platforms with a digital identity does not aim to compress freedom of expression, but rather to re-establish the establishment of a basis of responsibility similar to that which already exists in the offline public space.
This is not a general opinion: now the production of ERIS of the European Union of the European site is the work of "Bots and Bots in Consignment Status.
In parallel, there is a formal debate in the European Parliament on the subject of mandatory identity verification (KYC) for social media accounts as part of the revision of the Digital Services Act.
The need to protect youth and children emerges strongly from the protection of democratic processes.The social network represents one of the main places of communication for new generations, but it is also a place where various types of exposure to the power of malicious news, misinformation, online hatred and deception can appear.
Data on internet usage show that almost all Italians have daily access to the internet, and almost half spend more than four hours a day online.Such a broad situation requires not only digital surveillance tools, but also systems that allow age and identity verification, important conditions for effective security policies.
So for Italy, the issue is not broadOur country has advanced digital identity tools, such as SPID or CIE, adopted by more than two-thirds of the populationThis foundation can be a solid basis for starting a serious and thorough evaluation of potential applications in the context of social networks.
Validated digital identities do not simply “vet” users, but can be designed to build trust in information processes and digital services, protect the most vulnerable and ensure transparency in online behavior.
Of course, such a possibility requires a strong security framework.The protection of personal data, respect for privacy, proportionality of measures and democratic control of the adopted instruments must be essential elements of any regulatory intervention.Without them, we risk replacing uncontroled anonymity with digital surveillance systems, susceptible to abuse.
The question asked by Sánchez also raises a question for our people.Rejecting this possibility would mean abandoning the effective role of defining the European policy of information security and the protection of digital democracy.
For Italy, the study of measures in this direction does not mean the immediate adoption of rigid or general solutions, but rather the opening of an institutional path of analysis, comparison and experimentation in coordination with other member states and institutions of the European Union.Democratic sovereignty is now also realized in the ability to manage digital space and ensure that it remains a place of free discussion in a manipulative system.
Because defending democracy is a responsibility; It means adapting to the changes of our time and its tools with a balanced and strategic vision.
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