German Family Minister Proposes 13-Year Age Limit for Social Media Use

German Family Minister Karin Prien is pushing for a legal age limit of 13 for children's independent use of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Prien, a member of the CDU party, stated that she fundamentally believes this is the correct approach to safeguarding young users.

The proposed legislation includes a "legal reservation of permission" that would allow children under 13 to access "demonstrably child-friendly and low-risk services," provided their suitability can be verified. This age limit would need to be coupled with effective age verification mechanisms. For teenagers aged 13 to 18, Prien indicated that tiered protective measures should apply. She emphasized that these regulations should ideally be established at the European level, but she is prepared to prepare national legislation if sufficient progress is not made promptly within the EU.

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For the case that sufficient and timely progress is not achieved at the European level, I will in parallel prepare the necessary national regulations.

Prien's proposal is based on recommendations from an expert commission she appointed, tasked with examining child and adolescent protection in the digital world. The commission supported the idea of age restrictions and presented two main alternatives: either a statutory minimum age of 13 with graduated protections up to age 18, or age limits tailored to specific services or functions, depending on the associated risks.

Notably, the commission strongly recommends an age limit of 13 for the use of AI companions and chatbots. It warns that these technologies could potentially lead vulnerable children and adolescents into emotional dependency. The commission's findings underscore a growing concern among policymakers about the impact of digital technologies on young people's well-being.

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They could particularly lead vulnerable children and adolescents into emotional dependency.