The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the German Young Socialists (Jusos) have rejected outright bans on social‑media use for minors. Instead, they call for a greater duty of care from platform operators. “Many young people see social media as a burden-and the platforms factor that into their calculations” said Juso leader Philipp Türmer in an interview with the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. He argued that the risks and harms are knowingly accepted by operators because attention equals profit. “That is why the Jusos demand strict action on platform regulation” Türmer added.
Türmer cited several examples: Facebook’s dismissal of fact‑checkers, the use of AI bots for “sexual digital violence” on Elon Musk’s X, and the “opaque” TikTok algorithms. He urged that the European Digital Services Act be enforced with clear responsibilities, real sanctions, and genuine transparency in moderation and algorithms. He also said that a single measure is insufficient: “Alongside a rigorous application of the DSA we need to expand digital education and low‑threshold support and reporting structures” he told the RND.
The SPD’s Bundestag faction also opposed blanket bans for minors. SPD spokeswoman for justice, Carmen Wegge, warned that social platforms can become addictive and foster radicalisation. “A general ban or a naming requirement miss the point” Wegge said. “We must hold the platforms to account and empower consumers-for example, giving users the ability to decide what the algorithm shows them”. She added that media literacy is necessary not only for young people but for all age groups.
The German government has already set up an expert commission on “Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World” composed of scholars and practitioners, which is to produce recommendations by next summer. Ahead of the party conference in late February, the CDU already started a debate on minors’ social‑media bans. The CDU state association in Schleswig‑Holstein submitted a motion to the party conference demanding a statutory minimum age of 16 for open platforms, with mandatory age verification. Schleswig‑Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) and federal drug commissioner Hendrik Streeck (CDU) had previously voiced support for various protective measures.