Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democratic Union party called for a ban on the use of social media networks such as Instagram and Tiktok for minors in Germany, a move that risks straining relations with the US digital services industry ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump next month.
The party adopted a motion urging Merz's government to introduce a legal minimum age of 14 for social media use at its annual convention on Saturday, along with additional protections for those up to 16. The proposals mirrored those recently put forward by the CDU's coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party.
Merz has signaled his support for age restrictions, citing the risks social media pose to young people and to society as a whole.
Networks including Meta Platforms Inc.'s Instagram and Facebook, Snap Inc., Elon Musk's X and TikTok face mounting scrutiny across Europe over potentially harmful and addictive content, setting the stage for a possible clash with some of the largest US tech companies. Merz's cabinet is expected to approve draft legislation before the summer, with the aim of securing parliamentary passage in the second half of the year.
The CDU also called for regulations at the European level requiring platforms to introduce data protection-compliant age verification systems, arguing that simple self-declaration via a "click-through" isn't sufficient. Harmonized age standards across the bloc would prevent users from circumventing national rules via other member states, the party said, advocating substantial fines for violations.
Merz was reelected chairman by CDU party members on Friday, securing a strong mandate for another two years despite rising voter discontent with his policies and leadership style.
Former chancellor Angela Merkel also attended the two-day gathering, her first appearance at a party conference since leaving office in 2021. Merz and Merkel represent different ideological wings of the CDU and have had a longstanding rivalry.