Media coverage: Policy brief on the social media ban

There is currently a lively debate about a possible ban on social media for children and young people. A policy brief published by the bidt in May provides representative survey data on this issue and shows how people in Germany view such a ban. In doing so, the bidt brings empirical evidence to a discussion in which issues of youth protection, digital participation and the responsibility of platforms are closely intertwined. The policy brief was presented during a panel discussion at re:publica 2026 and was subsequently picked up by numerous media outlets.

The issue has gained significant momentum in recent months. A key point of reference is Australia, where a ban on social media for under-16s was introduced in 2025. Other countries have already followed suit; Austria, for example, is planning a ban for children under 14. In Germany, too, there has since been increased discussion about whether similar regulations would be appropriate. Supporters see this as an important step towards protecting young people from negative effects on their mental health and from problematic or harmful content. At the same time, there is a heated debate as to whether such bans are actually effective or whether, instead, platforms should be more strictly regulated and media literacy promoted in a more targeted manner. Against this backdrop, academia, politics and society are engaging intensively with the question of how social media can be designed appropriately for young people.

The bidt Policy Brief provides a current empirical basis for this discussion. The findings show clear public support for a ban on social media for children under the age of 14. At the same time, it is evident that many respondents are sceptical about the practical effectiveness of such a ban. The study thus highlights a key tension in the current debate: whilst there is a strong desire for protection and clear regulation, simple solutions are not universally perceived as convincing.

The findings were presented at re:publica 2026. On the panel “I forbid you to do that!!1!1! – Australia’s social media ban for under-16s: hard facts rather than gut feelings”, Dr Roland A. Stürz, Head of the bidt Think Tank, discussed the issue with Dr Josephine B. Schmitt from the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) and Dr Hannes-Vincent Krause from the Weizenbaum Institute (WI). The discussion focused not only on the findings of the policy brief, but also on academic research from Australia, potential implications for Germany and the perspectives of young people.

Watch the recording of the re:publica panel

The publication of the policy brief subsequently received widespread media coverage. Numerous national and regional media outlets picked up on the findings, including dpa, the Süddeutsche Zeitung, FOCUS Online, netzpolitik.org, SZ Dossier and Tagesspiegel Background Digitalisierung & KI. The dpa report was picked up by over 100 media outlets, including Die Zeit, the Tagesspiegel, Handelsblatt and WELT.

The reporting highlights the significant public interest in reliable data on this range of issues. At the same time, it demonstrates the role that scientific analysis can play in debates on digital policy: it provides an evidence-based foundation for more nuanced discussions on the protection of minors, digital participation and regulation.