Germany news: Coalition mulls social media ban for children

DW News · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Full Article

LivePublished February 17, 2026last updated February 17, 2026Germany is joining the list of nations considering a ban on social media for children, with both coalition partners drawing up plans. Meanwhile, figures show German industry cut around 124,000 jobs in 2025. DW has more.https://p.dw.com/p/58sr6The ban is already in place in Australia and other countries are further down the road than GermanyImage: David Gray/AFPSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know Both conservatives and the center-left in Germany's coalition government are considering curbing or stopping children's access to social media The center-left Social Democrats propose blocking access for under-14s and creating special youth versions for ages 14 to 16 German industry cut 124,100 jobs last year in the face of harsh economic headwinds Here are the major headlines from Germany on Tuesday February 17, 2026: Skip next section German industry cut 124,100 jobs in 2025February 17, 2026German industry cut 124,100 jobs in 2025Germany's industrial companies have cut around 124,100 jobs last year, showing an increasingly negative trend after 56,000 positions were lost the year before, according to an analysis by auditing firm EY. EY said employment in industry has fallen by about 266,200 jobs, or nearly 5%, since the pre-pandemic year of 2019, with the sharpest reductions recorded in the automotive sector. Weak revenue performance has driven job losses, the report said, with industrial turnover shrinking by 1.1% in nominal terms, after a steeper 3.5% decline the previous year. EY found the auto, paper and textile industries were among the weakest performers, each posting revenue declines of roughly 3%. Nearly 50,000 jobs were lost in the automotive industry alone last year, EY said, bringing the sector’s job cuts since 2019 to around 111,000, a drop of 13%. In contrast, employment rose against the broader trend in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry and in the electrical industry, up 3% and 2% respectively. "German industry is in a deep crisis," EY's Jan Brorhilker said, adding that it would take a clear and sustained upswing to prevent further erosion in employment.Germany's Porsche pauses shift to EVs as profits tankTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/58t0SSkip next section Germany weighs social media ban for childrenFebruary 17, 2026Germany weighs social media ban for childrenGermany has been debating tougher limits on children's access to social media, with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) now backing restrictions and proposing a formal ban for those under 14. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil, who serves as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's deputy, told Der Spiegel that clear rules were needed. "Protecting young people from the flood of hatred and violence on social media is ‌a top priority," he said. A discussion paper signed by SPD lawmakers and state politicians called for platforms to block access for under-14s and to create special youth versions for ages 14 to 16, without algorithm-driven feeds, personalized content, endless scrolling or autoplay. The paper also proposed making opt-outs from algorithmic recommendation systems the default for users over 16. The move followed a similar proposal from Merz's conservatives, who have called for a ban for under-16s that is set to be discussed at their party conference. Coalition pressure has made it increasingly likely the government will push for restrictions, although media regulation in Germany is handled at the state level and would require nationwide coordination to agree consistent rules. The debate has been influenced by Australia's ban on social media for under-16s and growing European discussions on curbing platform access for children. Germany last year appointed a special commission to examine online harms facing young people, with a report expected later this year. https://p.dw.com/p/58t0pSkip next section Welcome to our coverageFebruary 17, 2026Welcome to our coverageGuten Tag from DW's newsroom in Bonn. You join us as the debate rumbles on in Germany, as in many other countries around the globe, about a partial or full social media ban for under-16s. Both coalition parties have mapped out how the measure might work in practice. Australia has already introduced such a ban, and many of Germany's European counterparts are thinking about doing the same. Follow along here for this and other stories that Germany is talking about throughout the day. https://p.dw.com/p/58sz2Show more posts