Germany Considers Restricting Smartphone Use in Schools

According to the German newspaper Bild, a government expert commission appointed last September by Education Minister Karin Prien of the CDU has submitted 56 recommendations to the federal government on protecting minors in the digital space.

The commission proposes introducing a minimum age of 13 for personal social media accounts, or age-based restrictions on features of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Although the minister supports the age limit of 13, the proposal falls short of the political demands of the CDU and SPD, which are pushing for a limit of 14 to 16 years, following Australia's example. Age verification measures to date have been ineffective, which is why experts are calling for the introduction of stricter rules at the EU level.

The commission's recommendations, however, extend far beyond social media. In the education sector, experts are calling for a nationwide legislative ban on the private use of smartphones and computers during class and recess up through and including seventh grade. Starting in eighth grade, schools would set their own rules in collaboration with students.

Elementary schools should introduce a mandatory course focused on the basics of artificial intelligence. In the area of cybersecurity, the commission proposes the creation of a specialized online police station for children to facilitate the reporting of crimes, as well as the deployment of undercover investigators who would pose as minors online.

(max)