Juso leader Philipp Türmer remains sceptical about the proposed social‑media ban for children and adolescents. He described the concept presented over the weekend by the SPD parliamentary faction as “better thought through than blanket prohibition demands” but he still sees a “central weakness”.
Türmer told “Der Spiegel” that it is pretended that young people can simply be kept away from platforms, a premise that rarely works in practice because teenagers are clever enough to find ways around restrictions. He warned that bans should not ultimately reduce youth protection. Therefore he continues to have reservations about specific prohibition proposals and calls for a more comprehensive protection plan that obligates platforms to take responsibility.
At the same time he directed sharp criticism at the operators of the platforms. “Last week the Instagram CEO again claimed that his platform is not addictive, even though the companies, based on their own studies, often know exactly the damage their products cause” Türmer accused. He argued that such statements must not be allowed to stand. “I am clear about the need to hold the platforms consistently accountable” he emphasised.
