A Brief Commentary on the Ethics Council’s Statement of June 11, 2026, on Addressing Internet Use by Children and Adolescents

The short article by Research Associate Helene Schiffel in MMR-Aktuell 2026, 01340 addresses the current debate surrounding legal age limits for the use of social media and other digital services. The focus is on the statement issued by the German Ethics Council in June 2026, which opposes blanket age limits and instead calls for a differentiated approach to youth media protection.

The article examines the Ethics Council’s 13 recommendations, which combine the protection, participation, and digital empowerment of children and adolescents. In addition to stronger support for parents and tiered age controls, the report calls in particular for a more consistent application of existing regulations as well as greater consideration of online games and AI applications.

The short article can be viewed here.