German Leaders Push to Ban Social Media for Kids Under 14

Germany's ruling party has approved a proposal to prohibit social media access for children under 14 and strengthen age verification for teens. The move follows similar restrictions being considered across Europe, with Australia leading the way as the first country to implement such bans.

Germany’s governing political party has approved new restrictions that would block children under 14 from using social media platforms, marking a significant step toward implementing youth digital protections in Europe.

During a party gathering in Stuttgart on Saturday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union endorsed the proposal, which would also require stricter age verification processes for teenagers. The plan includes financial penalties for online platforms that don’t comply with these restrictions and calls for unified age standards across the European Union.

Multiple European countries are exploring comparable social media limitations or access restrictions for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, including Spain, Greece, France, and Britain. These efforts mirror Australia’s groundbreaking approach, as that nation became the first to mandate that platforms block access for young users last year.

European governments are increasingly pressuring social media companies, potentially creating tension with the United States. President Donald Trump has warned of possible tariffs and sanctions if EU nations implement new technology taxes or online rules that impact American companies.

The approved motion stated: “We call on the federal government to introduce a legal age limit of 14 for the use of social networks and to address the special need for protection in the digital sphere up to the age of 16.”

Merz’s coalition partners, the Social Democrats, have also supported social media restrictions for children. With both coalition parties backing these measures, federal government action on restrictions appears increasingly probable.

Germany’s federal structure means media oversight falls under state jurisdiction, requiring individual states to coordinate and establish uniform national guidelines.

Students at Cardinal Frings Gymnasium in Bonn offered mixed reactions to the potential restrictions. Thirteen-year-old Moritz, who primarily uses YouTube, shared his perspective: “I think it’s fair, but I think it should be up to the parents to decide whether to forbid it, not the state. For children under 12 it should be forbidden, but from age 12 onwards I think children can already distinguish between what is fake news and what is not.”

Emma, also 13, mainly uses Snapchat with parental time limits on her device. She described how a ban would feel “kind of unusual, because you get used to sending your snap in the morning before school, or what my friends do, like just scrolling through Instagram or TikTok for a bit.”

Twelve-year-old Ella, who uses social media multiple times daily, acknowledged the addictive nature of these platforms. “So I have TikTok and Instagram myself, but I understand that it’s all addictive, and the more you scroll, the more you want to see,” she explained.

Teacher Till Franke predicted that while the restrictions “would be a shock at first, because of this daily use of social media,” students would eventually adapt “because they would find other niches where they could communicate with each other.”