Jens Spahn, the parliamentary group leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s centre-right alliance, told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper on Monday that discussions are being held on stricter rules to protect children online.

Asked about a possible ban on TikTok, Spahn said in remarks published on Monday: “We are still weighing things up. One option would be a social media age limit at 16.”

Citing neuroscientists, Spahn compared the effects of apps like Instagram and TikTok on the brain’s reward system to those of heroin. “Anyone who has ever tried to take a smartphone away from a 12-year-old while they were using TikTok knows the withdrawal symptoms,” he said.

Bans are a sharp instrument, Spahn said. “But we also ban alcohol and nicotine for minors to protect their still-developing brains. And if TikTok works like an even harder drug, then we have to do something.”

A recent survey by Germany’s ifo Institute found that 85% of German adults are in favour of restricting access to social media to those 16 and older.

More surprisingly perhaps, almost half those questioned between 14 and 17 also backed such a move, saying they would support a law similar to the one passed by Australia last year.

The Australian parliament passed legislation in November 2024 restricting access to social media for children and teenagers, allowing access only for those aged 16 or older. The ban is due to take effect in December.

-dpa