A growing chorus within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is pushing for stricter regulations on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, citing concerns over the impact on young people’s mental health and well-being. Several CDU state branches are poised to introduce proposals at the party’s upcoming national convention in Stuttgart, advocating for a minimum age of 16 for social media users and a requirement for users to verify their identities with real names.
The initiative, spearheaded by the CDU state branch in Schleswig-Holstein, aims to follow the lead of Australia, which implemented a ban on social media usage for children under 16 at the start of the year. Sebastian Lechner, parliamentary group leader for the CDU in Lower Saxony, championed the proposal, stating his full support for the 16-year-old minimum and praising Australia’s approach as “the right way”. He also expressed support for mandatory real-name verification, acknowledging its potential benefits for domestic security, while cautioning about the feasibility of international implementation.
Support for the motion is reportedly gaining traction across various CDU state branches, including those in Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Rhineland-Palatinate. Daniel Peters, CDU state chairman of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, explicitly endorsed the proposal, highlighting concerns about the detrimental effects of social media on the mental health of young individuals. Gordon Schnieder, head of the CDU in Rhineland-Palatinate, went further, advocating for a broader discussion about a potential social media ban.
While Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) has voiced concerns surrounding the protection of children and adolescents in the digital sphere, she has stopped short of committing to a specific minimum age. Prien stressed the need for “binding, effective age restrictions and age verification” alongside “safe default settings” and a defined responsibility for social media platforms.
The emerging debate within the CDU underscores a rising political pressure to address the pervasive influence of social media on youth and suggests a potential shift in policy towards more stringent controls, despite potential challenges in both implementation and international cooperation. Critics argue that the proposed measures risk infringements on personal freedoms and may prove difficult to enforce effectively, potentially driving younger users to less regulated platforms. The extent to which these proposals will be adopted and subsequently translated into legislation remains to be seen.