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Germany Moves Toward Social Media Limits for Children

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced support for stricter controls on children’s access to social media, citing increasing concern over misinformation and digital manipulation.

Speaking ahead of the Christian Union party conference, Merz pointed to the risks posed by artificial content such as fabricated news and manipulated media. He noted that young teenagers now spend an average of over five hours online daily, raising questions about the broader societal impact.

A proposal set to be discussed includes restricting access to platforms like TikTok and Instagram for users under the age of 16. Similar discussions are underway across Europe, with countries such as Spain, France and Greece exploring potential limitations.

Merz acknowledged that his perspective had evolved, highlighting the underestimated influence of algorithms and targeted online messaging. He dismissed the idea of gradual exposure to social media as a sufficient safeguard, emphasizing the need for structural protections.

While federal support appears to be growing, implementing nationwide restrictions may require coordination between Germany’s states due to the decentralized nature of media regulation.

A government-appointed commission examining online safety for young people is expected to present its findings later this year.

Musk’s X Back Online After Brief US, UK Outage

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Elon Musk’s social media platform X returned to normal operations after experiencing a brief outage that affected users in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

According to outage tracking service Downdetector, reports of disruptions in the U.S. peaked at nearly 40,000 before dropping significantly to around 730 by late morning. In the UK, more than 11,000 users reported issues at the height of the disruption.

The figures are based on user-submitted reports, meaning the total number of affected users may have varied.

X did not immediately comment on the cause of the outage.

The disruption comes amid ongoing structural changes within Musk’s business ecosystem. Earlier moves included folding X into his artificial intelligence venture xAI through a share swap, followed more recently by SpaceX acquiring the AI startup.

UK Moves Toward Social Media Ban for Under-16s

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The UK government is considering introducing a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16, alongside tighter regulation of artificial intelligence chatbots, as part of efforts to respond more quickly to digital risks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration has launched a consultation on the proposed ban and is working to amend legislation so that new rules could be implemented within months after the process concludes.

Officials are also seeking to close a regulatory loophole in the Online Safety Act that currently excludes one-to-one interactions with AI chatbots from safety oversight. Authorities have raised concerns about young users forming close interactions with AI systems that were not designed with child protection in mind.

Technology minister Liz Kendall said new proposals would be presented before June and confirmed that tech companies would be responsible for ensuring compliance with UK law.

Additional measures under consideration include restrictions on “stranger pairing” in online gaming, limits on the exchange of explicit content, and enhanced digital evidence preservation in cases involving minors.

The proposals follow growing global scrutiny of digital platforms and AI tools amid rising concerns over their impact on children’s wellbeing and online safety.