The German federal families minister, Karin Prien of the CDU, welcomed the widening debate on age limits for social media in Germany. She said she is pleased that the discussion “is now being carried out widely in Germany” and that Germany is closely observing what has happened in Australia. Prien added that the country expects recommendations from the expert commission she has established on “Children and Youth Protection in the Digital World”.
She emphasized that such expertise is essential for Germany’s next steps. “Age limits, media competence, and the participation and access to age‑appropriate content must fit together wisely, for the interest of young people” Prien said. The debate about bans and restrictions has intensified in Germany since Australia became the first nation to impose a social‑media ban for users under 16 in December.
In contrast, CSU general secretary Martin Huber expressed caution. He said the CSU is skeptical of an impractical social‑media ban but is “open to sensible and practically viable proposals”. He noted that the Australian example shows bans can be easily circumvented. Huber pointed out that many platforms already have age restrictions and that ultimately “parents have to enforce them”. He considers a real‑name policy on the internet a more effective way to raise the threshold for threats and insults.