Social media taboo for children and young people! Conceivable in Germany too?

Canberra (Australia) - People want children to have a childhood again in the future - and not just sit in front of social media. Access to Insta , TikTok and co. could soon be taboo for young people under 16 in one country.

Perhaps these apps will soon have to be uninstalled from young people's cell phones.
Perhaps these apps will soon have to be uninstalled from young people's cell phones.  © Alicia Windzio/dpa

The Australian government wants to allow children and young people to access social media only from the age of 16 in future.

"I've spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and they, like me, are deeply concerned about the online safety of our children," Premier Anthony Albanese told reporters. "I want parents to be able to say, 'Sorry, buddy, but that's against the law'."

The bill is due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Friday and introduced to parliament later this month. After that, however, it could be around a year before the new regulation comes into force, Australian broadcaster ABC reported.

"This is world-leading legislation and we want to make sure we get it right," Labor leader Albanese emphasized.

The head of government had already announced the plans in September and described the effect of online networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and co. on children as a "scourge".

He wants children to have a childhood: "We know that social media causes social harm and keeps children away from real friends and real experiences."

Platforms themselves should check user age

Children and young people should once again engage more with topics outside of social media.
Children and young people should once again engage more with topics outside of social media.  © Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa/dpa-tmn

The opposition also supports the move. "We don't believe TikTok can ever be made safe for children, we don't believe Snapchat can ever be made safe for children and we don't believe Instagram can be safe for children," said Liberal Party communications spokesman David Coleman.

It was not yet clear how access would be technically controlled. However, the duty to check the minimum age of users should not fall to parents, but to tech companies and internet platforms.

According to the plans, there will be no penalties for users.

Age restrictions soon in Germany too?

Age checks on social media platforms are difficult to implement and easy to circumvent, as there is no date of birth check.
Age checks on social media platforms are difficult to implement and easy to circumvent, as there is no date of birth check.  © Jens Büttner/dpa

Social media platforms must specify age restrictions in their terms of use. However, these are almost always under the age of 16 - and usually even 13. Checking this is also very difficult.

In Germany, there is no general, legally stipulated minimum age for social media users.

Theoretically, the parents of young people under the age of 16 would have to consent to their use - however, this is rarely verified and birth dates can easily be falsified during registration.