CDU decides on social media ban for children, but no real name obligation
CDU decides on social media ban for under 14s; real name obligation off the table for now. Youth versions for 14-15 year olds.
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On Saturday afternoon, the CDU decided at its federal party conference in Stuttgart that the federal government should initiate a general social media ban for people under 14 years of age. The delegates voted for a changed proposal. Previously, there was a motion from the Schleswig-Holstein state association that provided for a minimum age of 16 years.
There was no public discussion at the party conference; the positions had apparently already been determined in advance and yesterday evening. The debate about a real name obligation, also initiated by Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the party meeting, was unsuccessful; it did not become part of the resolution. According to "Bild", the topic of the real name obligation will now be handed over to the parliamentary group.
"Growing up digitally"
As the SĂĽddeutsche Zeitung quotes from the adopted motion, the federal government is now called upon to "introduce a legal age limit of 14 years for the use of social networks and to shape the special need for protection up to the age of 16 in the digital space". For users between 14 and 15 years old, platforms should offer separate youth versions of their services. At the same time, according to the CDU, media literacy should be "bindingly strengthened" in school lessons. The entire initiative, according to the motion, runs under the motto "responsible digital growing up".
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This paves the way for new laws. The SPD had changed its previously negative stance. First, party leader and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil spoke out in favor of corresponding regulation last weekend, and later the party formulated an impulse paper. This also includes age verification via EUDI Wallet.
As now decided by the CDU, the SPD's paper also provides for a gradation: up to 14 years, children should generally be banned from using social networks, from 14 to 16 years they should only be able to use youth versions, and from 16 years they should receive unrestricted access.
(nie)
