Federal family minister Karin Prien (CDU) welcomed the growing debate in Germany about setting age limits for social‑media use. She noted that “I really appreciate that the discussion is now taking place broadly in Germany. We are carefully watching the experiences in Australia and we expect the recommendations of the expert commission on child and youth protection in the digital world that I have set up”.
Prien stressed that the commission’s expertise is essential for Germany’s next steps. “Age limits, media literacy, participation and access to age‑appropriate content must work together intelligently – for the benefit of young people”. The debate over bans and restrictions has carried over to Germany, following Australia’s December introduction of a social‑media ban for users under 16.
In contrast, CSU general secretary Martin Huber remained cautious about an impractical ban. He said the party is “open to sensible, practically implementable proposals” but pointed out that the Australian example shows bans can be easily evaded. “There are already age restrictions in place on platforms; ultimately it is the parents who must enforce them” Huber added. He also argued for a compulsory real‑name requirement on the Internet to raise the threshold for threats and insults.
