A large majority of German citizens support a ban on social media use for under-16s, as will soon happen in Australia under a new law, according to a survey published on Saturday.

The support for the ban reflects the view of most of the approximately 2,000 people surveyed that social media will probably or definitely have a harmful impact on children and adolescents.

What did the research show?

According to the YouGov survey, seen by news agency dpa, around 77% of respondents said they would “fully” or “somewhat” support similar legislation in Germany.

A total of 13% of respondents said they would be “completely” or “somewhat” opposed to a ban, while the remaining respondents said they did not know.

An even higher percentage – 82% – were “absolutely certain” or “somewhat certain” that social media use is somehow bad for children and teens.

Some of them considered the content on social media platforms to be responsible for the harmful effect, while others were more concerned that social media can be addictive. According to the survey, approximately 52% believe that both factors play an equal role.

However, 9% were certain or fairly certain that social media is not harmful to young people’s well-being in any way.

What law has been passed in Australia?

The law in Australia, which was passed on Friday with the support of all major parties, will make social media platforms liable for fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (€30.5 million, $32 million) if they allow children under children under the age of 16 hold accounts.

Technology companies such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram will be responsible for ensuring verification, and there will be no penalties for parents or users.

However, the legislation provides little detail on possible methods for enforcing the ban, which will come into effect in a year.

Before then, various methods to enforce the measure will be tried.

Some companies that have platforms that promote education, messaging, gaming and mental health will be exempt under the law.

Critics of the law have raised concerns that the ban will isolate teenagers from established online social networks and cause them to seek out online spaces that are unregulated and potentially more harmful to their well-being.

tj/wmr (dpa)

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