The German Minister for Research, Dorothee Bär, has voiced concerns regarding proposals within the conservative Union faction suggesting a minimum age of 16 for social media usage. Speaking to RTL and ntv broadcasters on Tuesday, Minister Bär expressed reservations about blanket bans, stating they posed a complex challenge.
She acknowledged the necessity of examining the impact of social media platforms on children, highlighting the evolving landscape of childhood. Bär noted that while children were once considered safe within their bedrooms, the proliferation of smartphones now allows even pre-literate individuals to access digital content.
The Minister, a mother of three teenagers, emphasized the difficulties faced by parents attempting to monitor the content their children encounter online. She referenced the existing policy in Bavaria, which prohibits private smartphone use in schools up to the 7th grade, suggesting a need for careful scrutiny of digital engagement without resorting to overly restrictive measures. Bär stressed the importance of finding a balanced approach to safeguarding young people online.