German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made a major U-turn on his views regarding the internet.
He is now calling for a ban on social media for children under 16, admitting that he previously underestimated how dangerous "fake news" and algorithms can be for young minds.
Merz says seeing how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and secret algorithms spread lies and "fake films" changed his mind. He now believes social media is "undermining society."
He pointed out that the average 14-year-old in Germany spends about 5.5 hours online every single day, which he believes is too much.
The Chancellor dismissed the idea of "teaching" kids to use social media slowly, saying it’s as bad as trying to teach a 6-year-old how to drink alcohol responsibly.
Germany joins countries like Australia, France, and Britain who are all moving toward stricter laws to keep young children off platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Message Us