Dispute in the Berlin Government: Conservatives demand a ban on social media for young people, while the SPD opposes

The CDU, the German conservative party led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is discussing the introduction of a ban on the use of social media by children under 16, considering the negative impact of the online environment on minors. The measure would follow the model of Australia, which has already implemented such a ban. Dennis Radtke, the leader of the CDU's trade union wing, emphasized that social media has become a "conglomerate of hate and fake news," supporting the need for an age limit.

In contrast, CDU's coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), oppose this measure, arguing that platforms should develop their own control mechanisms. The CDU has proposed a minimum age threshold of 16 for access to platforms, with age verification, particularly targeting TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. There are growing concerns in Germany regarding online risks for children, including cyberbullying and hate speech, which has led to the formation of a special commission for the protection of minors in the digital environment.