Social media under 16: debate about real protective measures for children!

Social media under 16: debate about real protective measures for children!

In the discussion about dealing with social media among children and adolescents, it becomes increasingly complicated. Chancellor's head Thorsten Frei recently commented on the enforceability of parent specifications in this area. Free, which is himself the father of three children aged 12, 14 and 16, sees the challenge in the fact that children do not live in isolation and that compliance with parent rules is often questioned. In conversations with his wife, he reflects on the limits and possibilities that the digital age offers. "The reality is that children just don't come into contact with social media too young," said Frei. But how this wish can be implemented in practice remains uncertain.

A central point in this debate is the demand for an age limit for the use of social media. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther expressed a strong comment on a ban on social media for under 16 year olds. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig also supports this idea to guarantee children healthy development and the protection of their privacy. "Protection instead of self -portrayal pressure" - that is your motto. According to Hubig, an age limit could also relieve parents because they would have to have less discussions with their children about social media. Initial experiences from other countries show that such regulations can have positive effects on concentration and cooperation in schools.

international role models and variety of opinion

An example is Australia, where an age limit of 16 years is already anchored by law, even if the practical implementation is still a long time coming. In the meantime, several countries, including France, Greece, Spain and Belgium, are calling for similar regulations. Nevertheless, opinions about the meaningfulness of such a ban among experts are controversial. Media law expert Stephan Dreyer emphasizes that German laws do not apply to providers from non -European countries, such as Tikok or Meta, which is why a European solution would be necessary.

Some federal states in Germany have already experimented with the introduction of cell phone bans in schools. Bavaria allows elementary school students not to use their cell phones on the school premises, while Bremen has a mobile phone ban up to 10th grade. These measures are based on scientific findings on the negative effects of cell phone use on students. But not all voices are uniform: Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies warns of a blanket ban and demands that schools should decide independently.

The challenges of the digital world

The discussion about social media and its use is reinforced by the complex location of the press industry. MVFP boss Philipp Welte has called for the need to rethink, especially when it comes to VAT on press products. While free of reduction in VAT remains skeptical, the pressure from the industry, which is under pressure through large Internet platforms, is enormous. In this context, the creation of a clear framework for social media is also part of the discussion about the protection of children and adolescents.

the fact is that the topic of social media can no longer be ignored in the everyday life of children and adolescents. The variety of opinions and legal framework conditions shows that a good hand is required here - both with regard to the protection of the youngest and the support of the parents. It remains to be seen whether these challenges can be regulated in the near future that both children and parents can better deal with the digital options.