Social media restriction advocated by Özdemir for minors

Social media restriction advocated by Özdemir for minors

In a recent meeting with young people, the former Federal Minister of Agriculture and Education in Germany, Cem Özdemir, called for stricter controls on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, particularly for children and young people under the age of 16.

According to Özdemir, media education is essential at a young age. He suggests that if the operators of social media platforms do not allow their own children to use them, it should raise concerns for everyone. However, he does not specify how the proposed controls on social media would be implemented.

The proposed age limit for the ban on social media platforms remains 16 years old. Özdemir particularly advocates for a ban on unsupervised use of social media by children and young people, citing concerns about their well-being and the potential harms associated with unregulated online activities.

Young people have expressed a need for clear rules regarding social media usage, feeling often overwhelmed by network activities. Many parents are reportedly overwhelmed by the management of their children's social media usage as well.

Germany follows EU mandates requiring strict age verification on platforms hosting adult content to prevent underage access. The Digital Services Act, effective since 2024 and fully applicable by early 2025, mandates platforms to implement robust age verification systems. These requirements apply across all 27 EU member states, including Germany.

However, no national legal ban on social media use for under-16s currently exists, reflecting a balance between child protection and practical enforcement challenges. While there is heightened attention on protecting minors from online risks, there is no EU-wide age ban. The European Commission has explicitly stated it will not impose a uniform social media age ban but permits individual countries to legislate national limits if they desire.

Özdemir believes that children and young people must learn to handle smartphones and media responsibly, and this learning process should be closely supervised. He compares the control of age limits on social media to the control of alcohol consumption, suggesting that ineffective control is not a valid argument against regulation.

The meeting with young people took place recently, as reported by the German Press Agency in Stuttgart. Özdemir's call for a social media ban for under-16s is a recent development, adding to the ongoing debate about the role of social media in shaping the lives of young people.

References:

1. BBC News
2. The Local
3. EU Commission
4. Reuters

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