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Germany’s CDU Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

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Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union is weighing a proposal to bar children under 16 from social media, though coalition partners have signaled reluctance toward a blanket ban. The debate follows similar moves abroad after Australia introduced age-based restrictions, intensifying scrutiny of social media’s effects on young users across Europe.

Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s labour wing, said rapid changes in social media have outpaced media literacy, arguing that platforms amplify hate and misinformation. He welcomed the idea of adopting a minimum age, citing the need to protect children. By contrast, the Social Democrats (Social Democratic Party of Germany), the CDU’s centre-left coalition partners, cautioned against an outright prohibition, calling instead for stronger platform-led safeguards, age verification, and limits on aggressive recommendation algorithms for minors.

The issue is set to feature at the CDU’s national conference later this month, following a motion from the party’s Schleswig-Holstein branch proposing a statutory minimum age of 16 with mandatory age checks. The motion reportedly names platforms including TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook.

Germany has intensified its focus on online harms, appointing a special commission last year to assess protections for young people. Regulators say issues such as cyberbullying and hate speech are taken seriously, adding that if voluntary measures fail, stricter interventions—including bans—could be considered as a last resort.

EU Charges TikTok Over Addictive App Design Under DSA

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The European Union has charged TikTok with breaching online content rules, accusing the app of using addictive design features that could harm users, particularly minors. The move follows a year-long probe by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act, which empowers regulators to demand changes or impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s global turnover.

Regulators cited features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendations as mechanisms that encourage compulsive use. The Commission said TikTok failed to adequately assess risks to users’ physical and mental wellbeing and did not implement sufficient safeguards, including effective screen-time controls and parental tools.

TikTok rejected the allegations, calling the preliminary findings false and saying it would challenge them. EU officials said the platform may be required to redesign core elements in Europe, including disabling infinite scroll over time, adding meaningful breaks—especially at night—and adapting its recommender system.

The action underscores the EU’s broader crackdown on Big Tech, with similar DSA charges previously brought against Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram over deceptive interface designs. Regulators are also scrutinizing age-verification systems at Snapchat, YouTube, Apple, and Google as governments debate tougher limits on teen access to social media.

Spain’s Sanchez: we won’t be swayed by tech oligarchs on social media ban

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Spain will press ahead with plans to restrict young people’s access to social media and tighten regulation of online platforms, despite criticism from major technology figures, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Thursday.

Speaking at an event in Madrid, Sanchez accused what he described as “tech oligarchs of the algorithm” of attempting to influence democratic decisions by spreading misinformation through their platforms. “Democracy will obviously not be swayed by the tech oligarchs of the algorithm,” Sanchez said, adding that powerful technology executives were using their reach to mislead the public.

His comments came a day after Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, joined Elon Musk in criticising Spain’s proposals to ban access to social media for users under 16 and to hold platform executives legally accountable for hate speech. Durov warned in a message sent to Spanish Telegram users that the legislation could force platforms to collect data on all users and enable governments to control what content people see. Musk, meanwhile, described Sanchez on X as “a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain.”

The Spanish government responded by saying Durov’s mass message to Telegram users illustrated why regulation of social media and messaging apps was urgently needed to protect citizens from misleading or manipulative information.

Spain is aligning itself with a broader European push to rein in the influence of major technology platforms. Countries including Britain, Greece and France are weighing tougher restrictions on social media use by minors, following Australia’s decision last year to prohibit access for children under 16.

Sanchez has been an outspoken critic of large technology companies since early last year, when he floated proposals to end anonymity on social media and link user accounts to a common European Union digital identity wallet. His government argues such measures are necessary to protect children, safeguard democratic debate and curb the spread of harmful or deceptive content online.