At re:publica 2026, Josephine B. Schmitt (CAIS), Roland A. Stürz (bidt), and Hannes-Vincent Krause (WI) will jointly present current empirical findings on the consequences of social media bans on 18 May 2026, and will speak directly with young people about their experiences and perspectives.
The introduction of the ban in Australia was justified primarily by risks to the mental health of young people. In particular, the perspectives of young people themselves were barely taken into account before the decision was made.
“Flat bans on social media often replace the debate about effective platform regulation,” says Josephine B. Schmitt, Academic Coordinator at CAIS. “They create the impression of political capacity to act, but shift responsibility onto young people instead of consistently regulating platforms.” Social media are not only spaces of risk for young people, but also places for information, exchange, self-organization, and social participation. “Bans do not solve many problems; they merely shift them into less visible spaces,” Schmitt adds.
Hannes-Vincent Krause, who conducts research as a psychologist and information systems scholar at the Weizenbaum Institute, underlines the call for effective regulation rather than blanket bans: “
From a scientific perspective, a social media ban is hard to justify – neither in terms of necessity nor effectiveness. In a fear-driven debate we should avoid falling into blind activism. Instead of banning individual platforms outright, we should push providers to implement clear regulations addressing issues such as harmful content, and finally invest seriously in developing media literacy in a meaningful way.”
A recent discussion paper by Weizenbaum researchers Charlotte Mysegades, Christoph Neuberger and Jakob Ohme likewise suggests that there is only limited empirical evidence to support a general social media ban for minors. Existing studies have so far failed to demonstrate strong negative effects of social media use. Instead, the observed associations tend to be small, context-dependent, and often unclear in terms of causality. Rather than advocating blanket bans, the researchers call for stronger regulation of problematic content, the promotion of digital literacy, and the development of age-appropriate online services (see Discussion Paper).
Majority for Bans, Doubts About Effectiveness
Despite the widespread desire for clear rules, current bidt data also reveals a prevalent skepticism about the effectiveness of such blanket bans. A nationwide representative survey yielded the following results (see Policy Brief):
- 66 percent of respondents support the introduction of a ban on social media for children under 14 years of age. Support decreases significantly as the age limit rises.
- Regarding those under 18, more people are against a social media ban (23%) than in favor (11%).
- Personal positive or negative experiences with social media have only a minor influence on attitudes toward a ban, as do key sociodemographic characteristics.
- Differences emerge depending on party preference; however, a majority in all groups supports a ban for children under 14.
- Notably, there is widespread skepticism about the effectiveness of such a ban: a majority of 59% of people in Germany consider it rather or very unlikely that a legal ban could actually prevent children and young people from using social media.
“As latest survey data from the bidt shows, a broad majority of the population supports a ban on social media for children under the age of 14—despite widespread skepticism regarding its effectiveness. In my view, this stems from people’s legitimate need for clarity regarding the regulation of social media, as the current regulatory framework appears very complex and is therefore difficult to implement,” explains Roland A. Stürz, Head of Think Tank at the bidt.
At the panel, researchers will provide an evidence-based analysis of the social media ban debate and discuss pathways toward effective youth protection. The german panel “Das verbiete ich dir!!1!1! – Australiens Social-Media-Verbot für unter 16-Jährige: erste Fakten statt Bauchgefühl” takes place on 18 May 2026 at re:publica – including a discussion with young people.
Moderator: Salwa Houmsi
Participants: Josephine B. Schmitt (CAIS), Roland Stürz (bidt), Hannes-Vincent Krause (Weizenbaum Institute), young people on site
Resources
- Policy Brief bidt: Roland Stürz et al. (2026): Social Media Bans. Public Attitudes. https://www.bidt.digital/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/bidt_Policy-Brief-Social-Media-Verbot.pdf
- Discussion Paper Weizenbaum Institute: Charlotte Mysegades, Christoph Neuberger & Jakob Ohme (2026): Evidence-Based Regulation. Child and Youth Protection in the Context of Social Media (Weizenbaum Discussion Paper #54). Weizenbaum Institute. https://doi.org/10.34669/WI.DP/54
About the Institutes
The Network of Institutes for Digitalization Research (NIfD) has united leading institutions in Germany since 2021 that conduct interdisciplinary research into the societal, political, and technological consequences of the digital transformation. These include the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt), the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), and the Weizenbaum Institute.
Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt): The bidt is an institute of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. It conducts interdisciplinary research, informs and advises on key developments in digital transformation based on scientific evidence. It provides the foundations for shaping the digital future responsibly and in the public interest, in dialogue with society.
Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS): The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has been funding the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum since April 2021 as a central institute for digitalization research. Through evidence-based proposals, CAIS contributes to shaping digital transformation in the interest of people. At CAIS, the disciplines of social sciences, humanities, and computer science are interlinked and research findings are tested in practice.
Weizenbaum Institute: The Weizenbaum Institute researches the impact of advancing digitalization on our society. Its research topics range from artificial intelligence and platform economics to digital democracy and sustainability, as well as questions of security, participation, and justice in the digital transformation. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, and the state of Berlin.