Germany's digital minister mulls social media ban for children

German Minister for Digital Affairs Karsten Wildberger has expressed openness to a social media ban for children like the one in Australia, he told dpa in Berlin.

“I can see a lot of merit in that. I consider the question of an age restriction to be more than justified,” he said.

“So now the question is: How do we enable them to have a healthy development, like earlier generations had without social media?”

Wildberger, former head of the tech big box store conglomerate MediaMarktSaturn, is Germany’s first-ever digital affairs minister.

Australia’s social media ban for those under age 16 took effect on December 10 and has since sprouted discussions in many countries about whether to follow.

The Australian law makes it illegal for those under 16 to hold their own accounts on many social media platforms.

Canberra said it aims to protect young people from cyberbullying, problematic usage and distressing content.

Studies, reports and observations show how profoundly social media intervenes in the development of young people.

Referring to an expert commission appointed by the German government on Child and Youth Protection in the Digital Age, Wildberger said there needs to be a discussion on what the right age is for young people to engage with social media.

The panel of academics and practitioners, which come in part from the fields of medicine and youth protection services, began its work a few months ago and is expected to develop recommendations by the summer.

This includes, among other things, possible age limits as well as the much-debated issue of banning mobile phones in schools.

“Sitting down for an hour or two, being attentive, and not being distracted by things is a basic prerequisite for development. In that sense, I think this is not only reasonable, but we also owe it to children to give them that opportunity,” Wildberger said, adding that it is important to listen to teachers who deal with this every day.