EDITION NO. 17 · ENGLISH

01

 Berlin · Germany · CORRECTIV 

Social media ban: Who decides what young people are allowed to do?

There is currently no social media ban for young people in Germany. However, the debate has recently gained considerable momentum again. It affects not only around 8.3 million young people, but also the work of CORRECTIV. Through Salon5, the media organisation has its own youth editorial team, which produces podcasts and web radio programmes and publishes content on social media – created by, with and for young people. The aim is to strengthen media literacy and present topics in ways that reach young people and are relevant to them.

At the heart of the political debate is the question of the age at which young people should be allowed to use social media – and how they can be better protected from violence, sexualised content, disinformation and other dangers on these platforms.

New rules are also being discussed at EU level. The so-called EU KIDS Act proposes, among other things, to deny children under the age of 13 access to social media. Young people would only be able to create an account independently from the age of 15. Germany is examining how these requirements could be implemented and potentially supplemented by national measures. So, a ban has not yet been adopted, but the political debate is in full swing.

For Salon5, this raises a key question: if adults decide how young people are allowed to use social media, to what extent are young people themselves involved in these decisions?

After all, social media has long been part of everyday life for many young people. According to the 2025 JIM Study, 96 per cent of 12- to 19-year-olds use WhatsApp regularly, 63 per cent use Instagram and 53 per cent use TikTok.

When we at Salon5 talk to young people about a possible ban, we hear a range of different views. Some want greater protection and consider age limits sensible. Others fear losing an important part of their social lives. Many recognise the risks but would prefer stricter rules for platforms and changes to their algorithms rather than a complete ban.

— Max Hillenberg, Editor, Salon5, CORRECTIV

02

 Riga · Latvia · TVNET 

Social Media Is Dangerous for Children. And Perhaps Not Just for Them

The role of social media in Latvia, as elsewhere in the world, has long extended beyond simple communication. In 2022, for example, political scientists linked the success of the populist party "For Stability!" in the parliamentary elections to the so-called "TikTok effect", as the party's representatives had actively used the platform during their campaign. However, social media could not save "For Stability!" from defeat in this year's elections.

The growing influence of social media has also attracted public attention. In 2024, an online petition called for TikTok to be banned in Latvia to protect the population from Kremlin propaganda. However, over two years, the petition collected fewer than 5,000 signatures and never reached parliament for consideration.

When it comes to restricting social media use among schoolchildren, Latvia has made considerably more progress. This spring, the Saeima expanded the ban on mobile phone use in schools. Previously, pupils in grades 1 through 6 were prohibited from using mobile devices. The ban now extends through grade 9, when most pupils are already 15 or 16 years old. However, these rules apply only at school and do not prevent children from using TikTok, Instagram and other platforms at home.

More radical proposals were also discussed in parliament this spring. One proposal focused specifically on protecting children under the age of 12, raising questions about the responsibilities of both the state and parents. The ruling coalition supported the initiative at the time but acknowledged that national legislation alone might not be sufficient and expressed its intention to pursue common European solutions.

For now, however, the issue appears to have slipped down the political agenda. Members of Latvia's parliament are preparing to hand over power to the newly elected Saeima, which will face pressing security and economic challenges. Whether the issue will return to the agenda of the new ruling coalition and government remains unclear.

— Andrejs Timofejevs, journalist, TVNET GRUPA

03

 Warsaw · Poland · OKO.press 

Poland Tightens Online Protections for Children. Now Comes the Harder Part: Big Tech 

Poland is starting to play catch-up and plug the loopholes, starting with a September ban on cell phones in primary schools. We have successfully introduced criminal protection against patostreaming. We also have a solid bill that focuses on protection against deepfakes, particularly those that involve manipulating photos into sexual contexts. Penalties for grooming will also be increased, and it will no longer be defined solely as an action aimed at direct sexual contact with a minor—it will suffice that the perpetrator believed the person on the other end was under 15 years old.
The government now plans to prohibit social media for children under 15, expanding on the EU Kids Act's proposed age limit of 13. Although 90% of adults demand regulations, public opinion varies on the exact age limits and parental consent requirements. Implementing the law poses significant hurdles, particularly in creating effective age-verification systems that protect privacy.
Ultimately, we need broader EU cooperation to control the operations of these platforms. This involves the “safety by design” principle, which aims to dismantle addictive algorithms, infinite scrolling, and autoplay. The political push intensified in October following tragic school knife attacks and renewed concern about online violence and radicalization. Experts emphasize that instead of merely banning youth access, authorities should use the EU Digital Services Act to force tech companies to take responsibility for harmful products and algorithms for all users or strip non-compliant platforms of market access.

— Anton Ambroziak, journalist, OKO.press

04

 Vienna · Austria · Die Presse 

“Our children do not have that much time”

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced EU-wide age limits for social media: “No social media for under-13s. No personal user accounts for under-15s.” Austria had already agreed on a social media ban for under-14s. Will von der Leyen’s announcement now render this obsolete?

Austria was one of the first Member States to call for an EU-wide regulation. Alongside Austria and France, numerous other EU countries – such as Spain, Denmark and Greece – are already planning to introduce national age limits for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. In April, the Austrian Government also wrote an open letter to the European Commission on this matter.

The main issue at stake was technical feasibility. The Austrian government proposed, for EU-wide implementation, “introducing a reliable and interoperable age verification system that can be used across the EU”. When no further progress was made, Austria agreed at the end of July to take national action.

“The EU Kids’ Act is an important and long-overdue step – and proof that our persistence has paid off,” said State Secretary for Digitalisation Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) in an interview with “Die Presse”, welcoming the Commission President’s announcement. “Nevertheless, we expect European-wide implementation by the end of the year.”

However, Pröll still intends to stick with national regulations until the EU-wide ban comes into force. “A Commission proposal is not yet law – it could take years before the trilogue, entry into force and national implementation are completed. Our children do not have that much time,” says Pröll.

— Elisabeth Hofer, politics journalist, Die Presse

05

 Zagreb · Croatia · Telegram.hr 

Croatia is hoping for a unified EU solution

In March 2026, the heated debate took place in the Croatian Parliament over the proposed

Digital Child Protection Act. The bill aimed, among other things, to introduce a strict rule that children under the age of 15 could not access or use social media platforms without the explicit consent of a parent or guardian.

Lawmakers across the political spectrum agreed on the core premise - the need to protect children from excessive exposure to social media. However, it still failed to pass: as the proposal originated from the opposition benches, the ruling majority swiftly voted it down, dismissing the legal framework as superficial, flawed, and unenforceable in practice.

Croatia still has no dedicated legal framework to regulate minors' access to digital platforms or define a minimum age for account creation. The Minister of Justice recently confirmed that his ministry has set up an expert working group to address this issue. However, he highlighted a key challenge: 'We can put it on paper that we will ban it up to the age of 15 or 16, but how do you enforce that if service providers don't comply?'. He therefore believes a joint European approach is the right way forward, 'so that we have a unified stance as a major market'.

Meanwhile, the Government took an important step this spring by enforcing a blanket ban on mobile phones in elementary schools. The restriction covers the entire duration of the school day, including recesses, with exceptions granted only for educational purposes, medical needs, or with special administrative approval. However, there is no reliable data on just how strictly this restrictive measure is being enforced.

— Irena Frlan Gašparović, journalist, Telegram.hr

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CORRECTIV [DE]

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Die Presse [DE]

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OKO.press [PL]

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Telegram.hr [HR]

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TVNET [LV]