Germany weighs ban on independent social media use for under-13s

German Family Affairs Minister Karin Prien has called for the introduction of a legal minimum age of 13 for the independent use of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, arguing that the measure represents "fundamentally the right approach" to protecting children online.

The conservative politician said such regulation should ideally be implemented at the European Union level, dpa reports.

“In the event that insufficient or insufficiently timely progress is made at the European level, I will in parallel prepare the necessary national regulations,” Prien said.

Under the proposal, children under the age of 13 would only be permitted to use platforms that are “demonstrably child-appropriate and low-risk.” The minister stressed that any age-based restrictions should be supported by effective age-verification mechanisms.

Prien also advocated for graduated safety measures for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, aimed at providing additional protections for young users as they gain greater access to digital platforms.

The minister's remarks were based on recommendations submitted by the expert commission on “Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World,” which she established to examine the impact of online platforms on children and adolescents.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns about the effects of digital media on young people, including exposure to harmful content such as pornography, hate speech, and cyberbullying, as well as the consequences of excessive screen time.

According to the commission, approximately 300,000 young people exhibit signs of addictive online behavior.

The 18-member panel, which had been deliberating since September, presented Prien with 56 recommendations. However, the experts were unable to reach a consensus on whether a fixed age limit should be imposed on social media use by children and adolescents.

As a result, the report outlines two possible approaches. The first, favored by Prien, calls for a “statutory minimum age of 13” combined with “graduated protection standards” for users aged 13 to 18.

“Risky functions should be deactivated by default,” the report states.

The alternative proposal rejects a uniform legal age threshold and instead recommends amending the European Union's Digital Services Act with binding provisions allowing restrictions on specific accounts, services, or platform functions when they pose elevated risks to particular age groups.

By Vafa Guliyeva