(de-news.net) Mario Voigt (CDU), Minister President of Thuringia, has formally called for a substantial curtailment of smartphone usage among children and adolescents. He asserts that access to social media platforms ought to be reserved for individuals aged 16 and above, while the use of smartphones should be limited to those who have attained at least 14 years of age. Voigt contends that premature exposure to such technologies engenders diminished self-worth, heightened tendencies toward social comparison, and an increased incidence of depressive symptoms. Consequently, he proposes a prohibition of smartphones within educational settings and advocates for the integration of digital literacy as an independent subject within the schoool curriculum.

Conversely, Kai Hanke, General Director of the German Children’s Fund, opposes the imposition of sweeping restrictions on media consumption. He warns that such prohibitive measures undermine the autonomy of young individuals and obstruct their participation in the digital sphere. Hanke further maintains that contemporary discourse surrounding these issues is increasingly influenced by uninformed and populist rhetoric.