(Gemini Audio)
(de-news.net) – During the Medientage München, the German Federal Government formally introduced its intention to establish a levy aimed at large-scale internet platforms. Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer indicated that the initiative remains in the conceptual phase, with the objective of channeling the resulting revenues directly into the media and creative sectors. In parallel, federal authorities are engaged in structured negotiations with leading broadcasters and streaming services to secure a voluntary commitment to increase investment in domestic and European audiovisual productions.
Weimer reportedly described the proliferation of artificial intelligence across digital platforms as a transformative development with profound technological, economic, and democratic implications. He warned that the financial sustainability of independent media outlets could be severely compromised in the absence of targeted regulatory intervention. The proposed levy, he argued, should function as a corrective mechanism to address the disproportionate benefits accrued by dominant technology firms that capitalize on European cultural and journalistic content without contributing to its preservation or reinvestment.
Efforts to design the levy are said to prioritize legal robustness and economic viability, with particular attention to constitutional and European Union legal frameworks. Support from individual federal states has been interpreted as a signal of readiness to implement the mechanism in a cooperative and timely manner. Weimer emphasized that the levy must be both effective and purpose-specific, serving to reinforce media pluralism as a foundational element of democratic infrastructure rather than as a nostalgic gesture toward outdated media formats. He underscored that the initiative is not intended to preserve legacy systems such as print journalism, but rather to establish regulatory order within the increasingly fragmented digital information ecosystem.
Concurrently, the federal government is promoting a voluntary framework to encourage industry-led investment in regional film and television production. The envisioned model seeks to facilitate swift, low-bureaucracy contributions from market-leading entities, supported by binding provisions concerning rights participation within the public funding system. While Weimer acknowledged that voluntary engagement could foster trust and enhance planning reliability, he also cautioned that legislative measures would be introduced should voluntary commitments fail to materialize.
In a separate but related policy discourse, both Weimer and Nathanael Liminski (CDU), Media Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, expressed opposition to blanket age restrictions on social media usage. Liminski, who also serves as Chief of the State Chancellery in Düsseldorf, reportedly acknowledged the parental impulse to limit digital access but rejected the notion of a categorical ban for individuals under sixteen. He raised concerns regarding the legal and technical feasibility of such measures and warned against the potential for generational discord, suggesting that prohibitions imposed by older policymakers might provoke resistance among younger users.
Weimer similarly reaffirmed the importance of youth protection but stressed that any measures adopted must be both practical and enforceable. While he considered school-based mobile phone restrictions to be appropriate, he maintained that universal bans would likely prove ineffective and counterproductive.
