Germany Prepares Social Media Ban for Children Under 13

The German government has approved a national strategy document that will temporarily ban social media use for children under the age of 13 until joint legislation is enacted across the European Union.

Strategy Document Approved

The German government has approved a strategy document containing temporary national rules that will ban social media use for children under the age of 13 until joint legislation comes into force across the European Union.

In a statement from the Ministry of Education, Family, Seniors, Women and Youth, it was stated that the Cabinet accepted the core principles regarding the social media ban for children.

Not a Legislative Bill Yet

The accepted principles are not yet a concrete bill, but rather represent the government's official statement of intent on the matter.

The work is based on a 56-article proposal package prepared by an expert commission.

Platforms to Be Blocked

According to the determined roadmap, access to platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram by children under 13 will be blocked.

With the planned temporary regulation, children under 13 will generally be prohibited from using social networks, and only content proven to be pedagogically appropriate will be exempt from this ban.

Mini Account Model for Youth

For those between the ages of 13 and 18, gradual restrictions will be introduced, and this model will be aligned with the work presented by the European Commission in September.

Young people in this age group will only be able to access social media through mini accounts established and supervised by their parents.

Daily Time Limit Being Introduced

The functions of the mini accounts to be created will be limited, and daily usage time will be capped at one hour.

The aim is to make young people resilient against risks such as cyberbullying and endless scrolling.