Social Media: Population Favors Regulation—but Ban Only for Those up to the Age of 12

Abstract

Social media usage by children and young people is an increasingly controversial topic. The focus is on risks, opportunities, and possible regulations. Politicians from all relevant parties are now open to a social media ban up to a certain age; the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs has set up a commission of experts. Based on a short survey in the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), conducted in September 2025 in cooperation with the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) and the University of Münster, this Weekly Report examines the population's attitudes toward this issue. The results paint an ambivalent picture: a large majority consider social media to be a risk, but at the same time a significant proportion also recognize opportunities; more than half of those surveyed see both sides. While a majority support bans for children up to the age of 12 and in schools, a ban up to the age of 16 is overwhelmingly rejected. There is significantly broader support for alternative protective measures, such as promoting media literacy, parental supervision, and regulatory requirements for platform providers. The findings argue in favor of differentiated, context-specific regulatory approaches rather than blanket bans.