German commission proposes 13 as social media minimum age, rejects blanket ban for older teens
A government-appointed commission has recommended setting 13 as the legal minimum age for using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, stopping short of a blanket ban for older teenagers.
After ten months of work
The commission "Kinder- und Jugendschutz in der digitalen Welt," appointed by Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) in September 2025, presented 56 recommendations in Berlin on Wednesday. The 18 experts, led by education researcher Olaf Köller and former Bundestag member Nadine Schön, aimed to balance protection, empowerment, and participation. Their report comes amid growing concern over harmful content and excessive screen time: according to the commission, roughly 300,000 young people in Germany show addictive behavior.
Pauschal hohe Mindestalter (15/16 Jahre) greifen zu kurz.
Two regulatory paths for social media access
On the central question of a minimum age, the experts were split and put forward two options. The first, favored by Minister Prien, would enshrine a legal minimum age of 13 for independent use of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. For children under 13, there would be a legal permit requirement allowing only demonstrably child-appropriate, low-risk services. Minors aged 13 to 18 would be subject to graduated protections, with stronger safeguards for the 13–16 group than for 16–18.
The second option forgoes a uniform age limit. Instead, it proposes that on the EU level the Digital Services Act be supplemented with mandatory rules so that accounts, services, or individual functions are restricted for certain age groups if they carry particular risks.
Für den Fall, dass auf europäischer Ebene keine ausreichenden und zeitnahen Fortschritte erzielt werden, werde ich parallel die notwendigen nationalen Regelungen vorbereiten.
A broad set of protective measures
Beyond the age question, the commission wants platform providers to bear structural responsibility. It calls for algorithm-free feeds, no personalized advertising, and the deactivation of addictive design features for users under 18. Smartphones should be banned or severely restricted in schools through grade seven. The experts urge the health system to develop prevention and support services for addictive behavior. They also recommend mandatory parental counseling from the prenatal stage through the child’s first three years, delivered by midwives and pediatricians, to address risks of early screen exposure.
Unser Ziel ist ein lernendes Umsetzungssystem, das Schutz, Befähigung und Teilhabe dauerhaft wirksam macht.
Prien backs the 13-year line, eyes EU action
Minister Prien called the 13-year minimum age "grundsätzlich" the right path and said she would first pursue a European solution. Should the EU fail to make timely progress, she would prepare national legislation. She emphasized that a legal permit reservation would still allow younger children to use carefully vetted services, and she insisted on effective age verification and tiered protections for teens. A sweeping ban on social media for all under-16s, as proposed in the United Kingdom, was rejected by the commission as too blunt.
International context and domestic debate
Germany is not alone in grappling with youth online safety. Countries such as Australia, France, Canada, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, and the United Kingdom have already enacted or are drafting social media bans for minors. In Germany, the political debate has seen proposals ranging from 14 to 16 years. In Lower Saxony, the SPD, Greens, and CDU have called for a 14-year minimum in state parliament, while the AfD and the state youth ring oppose age-based bans. The commission’s report is now entering a wider political discussion, with both the CDU and SPD already in favor of access restrictions to shield children from fake news, AI-generated images, violence, and pornography.
