Karin Prien proposes minimum age for social media use

German Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) is advocating for a statutory minimum age of 13 for social media use to protect children and adolescents from harmful content. While Prien continues to lobby the European Commission for a unified EU-wide solution, she stated that Germany may implement national regulations as a transitional measure if sufficient progress is not made at the European level.

Prien emphasized the need for a technically reliable age verification system that is data-efficient, secure, and compliant with European data protection standards. She rejected a blanket ban on all digital services for children under 13, suggesting instead a 'legal reservation of permission' model. Under this proposal, access to platforms would be prohibited unless providers can prove their services are specifically suitable and safe for a particular age group.