Anja Weisgerber, the deputy faction chairwoman of the Union parliamentary group, has rejected proposals to amend the German Civil Code in an effort to protect children from digital neglect. According to Weisgerber, and as reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, the primary responsibility for providing children with age-appropriate media education falls upon the parents.
Weisgerber emphasizes that parental rights constitute a high value that should not be interfered with prematurely. Such intervention, she argues, is only justified if there is a genuine threat to the child’s welfare, and this does not necessitate changing the Civil Code. This is why she opposes the suggestion.
In contrast, Federal Minister of Family Affairs and deputy CDU Chair Karin Prien, during a press conference on social media regulation, stated her intention to legally “frame parental media education” within family law. From her perspective, an amendment to the Civil Code would mainly serve a normative purpose, similar to when the principle of non-violent upbringing was introduced in 2000. She plans to discuss this issue immediately with Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD), confirming that in extreme cases, the Youth Welfare Office can take action.
