Draft Social Media Ban for Children Under 13 Approved in Germany
The German Cabinet has approved the core principles introducing a temporary social media ban for children under the age of 13.
The German Cabinet has adopted strategic principles introducing a temporary social media ban for children under 13, while planning a parent-supervised mini-account model for adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18.
Cabinet Approves Principles
In an official statement by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, it was announced that the Cabinet has approved the main principles regarding the social media ban for children.
Basis of the Strategy Document
Although the adopted principles do not yet constitute a concrete legislative bill, they serve as an official declaration of intent by the government. The strategy document is based on the recommendations of the relevant expert commission.
General Access Block for Under-13s
Access by children under the age of 13 to popular platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram will be blocked, with only content proven to be pedagogically suitable being exempt from this scope.
Parent-Supervised Period for Youth
For teenagers between 13 and 18 years old, restricted mini-accounts set up and monitored by their parents will be introduced, and daily usage time will be limited to one hour.
Statements by Minister Karin Prien
Emphasizing that they aim to protect children against the risks of cyberbullying and endless scrolling, Minister Karin Prien stated that responsibility cannot be left to corporate algorithms.
Accelerating the Process Through National Action
Anticipating that the consensus process for a pan-European common age limit proposal could take a long time, Germany aims to accelerate the process with this temporary national step.