CDU calls for a ban on social media for children under 16!

CDU calls for a ban on social media for children under 16!

There is currently a heated discussion in Schleswig-Holstein about the use of social media by children and young people. The state's CDU is calling for clear regulation and is in favor of banning social media for those under 16. Daniel Günther, the state leader of the CDU, sees the need to protect young people from glorification of violence, bullying and sexual harassment. This concern is supported by kn-online.de, which reports on similar regulations in Australia, where a minimum age of 16 years for the use of social networks has already been introduced.

The demands from Schleswig-Holstein not only include a ban, but also mandatory age verification and a real name requirement for platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. These measures are intended to better punish illegal content and curb foreign influence on political decision-making. Digitization Minister Dirk Schrödter emphasizes the urgency of the issue, while Günther emphasizes the protective function of the state and warns against extremist movements such as the AfD.

Parents and children in focus

Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig also supports the idea of ​​an age limit for social media. Its goal is to promote the protection of children's privacy and enable healthy development. Children and young people should experience protection and not the pressure to express themselves. An age limit could also ease the burden on parents, as they would have to have fewer discussions about social media with their children. In addition, initial experiences in various countries such as Australia show positive effects on students: less bullying and more concentration in class, as tagesschau.de reports.

The discussion about whether a ban on cell phones in schools makes sense is becoming increasingly louder in Germany. Some federal states have already introduced bans or are planning to restrict the use of cell phones in primary schools. In Bavaria, for example, the use of cell phones on school grounds is prohibited for primary school students, while in Bremen, cell phones for students up to the 10th grade must remain switched off in their pockets.

EU-wide guidelines and further steps

There is a growing push at European level to introduce uniform age controls for social media. The European Commission is planning new standards within its reform of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in order to make online services more responsible. There is currently no law in Germany for a prescribed minimum age. The DSA aims to require providers to comply with age verification in order to better protect minors. tarnkappe.info highlights that the EU plans to make age verification more efficient while taking data protection and user-friendliness into account.

Time is of the essence and it is clear that measures to protect young people in the digital space are urgently needed. In a world increasingly dominated by social media, it is important to create clear rules and effective protections for our young users. Developments at both national and European levels could be crucial for the future of youth protection online.