Germany Considers Social Media Ban for Children Under 13

BERLIN: Germany’s cabinet has approved policy guidelines to strengthen online protection for children and teenagers, including a proposed temporary national ban on social networking for children under 13 pending the implementation of European rules.
According to the report, the proposed measures would restrict children in this age group from using platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, while allowing services specifically designed for children. Age-based safeguards are also proposed for teenagers aged 13 to 18.
Education and Family Affairs Minister Karin Prien said the government’s aim was not to exclude children from the digital world, but to provide a safer environment and strengthen their ability to use digital tools responsibly.
The government also plans to introduce reliable age verification from 2027 through Germany’s implementation of the European Union’s digital identity wallet.
Berlin will also push for algorithmic recommendation systems to be switched off by default and for restrictions on features that encourage endless scrolling, the report said. The policy guidelines draw on 56 recommendations from an independent expert commission.