The expert commission "Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World" has submitted its recommendations to Federal Minister of Education and Family Affairs Karin Prien. The recommendations outline ways in which the protection, empowerment, and participation of children and young people can be achieved in the digital world. They form the basis for the Federal Government's overall strategy for child and youth protection in the digital world, as agreed upon in the coalition agreement.
The expert commission, established in September 2025 based on the coalition agreement, developed a total of 56 recommendations for action following its assessment published in April 2026. The interdisciplinary commission considered different life phases of children and young people as well as the responsibilities of various stakeholders. The perspectives of children and young people themselves were directly incorporated into the commission's work through nationwide workshops.
The recommendations are addressed to the federal government, states and municipalities as well as to the European level, and also to parents, educational institutions, child and youth welfare services, the healthcare system and providers of digital services; they are based on a development- and responsibility-oriented model.
Federal Minister of Education and Family Affairs Karin Prien:
"The Commission's recommendations provide important impetus for a modern child and youth policy in the digital age. They make it clear that we must better utilize the potential of digitalization while simultaneously strengthening the protection of young people effectively. This includes holding platform providers structurally accountable and designing digital offerings to be safer and more child-friendly from the outset. Here, youth protection means: safety by design. Regarding the independent use of social media, I fundamentally believe that the proposal for a legal age limit of 13 is the right approach – in conjunction with effective age verification and tiered safeguards for young people up to the age of 18. For children under 13, a legal requirement for permission should apply, allowing only demonstrably child-friendly and low-risk content. I am committed to ensuring that we achieve a European solution. Should sufficient and timely progress not be achieved at the European level, I will prepare the necessary national regulations in parallel. Given the great importance of the parental role and their responsibility, I strongly support the recommendation to enshrine parental media education in family law through appropriate legislation." Inclusion in the German Civil Code (BGB) – similar to the introduction of non-violent upbringing in 2000. The recommendations demonstrate that this is a task for society as a whole. The federal government, states, municipalities, academia, schools, youth services, and families must work together. Successful child and youth protection can only be achieved collectively. The proposals presented here provide a strong foundation for this.
As the minister responsible for youth protection, I will vigorously pursue this process. Our goal is a future-oriented, comprehensive strategy that strengthens protection, empowerment, and participation equally, and intelligently combines regulation, education, and prevention. In this way, we will create the conditions that enable children and young people to use the digital world safely and develop their full potential.
I thank the members of the expert commission for their dedicated and scientifically sound work. My special thanks also go to the children and young people who contributed their experiences, expectations, and concerns, which they clearly articulated. Their voices are indispensable because they show what young people need to be able to use the opportunities of the digital world safely, competently, and independently
Co-Chair of the Commission Prof. Dr. Olaf Köller:
"The work of the expert commission has shown that young people need clear frameworks and rules that are appropriate for their development and allow them to navigate the internet safely. The child shouldn't have to adapt to the digital world, but rather the digital world should adapt to the child. Excluding children and young people from the digital world is not protection. Therefore, three aspects are important simultaneously: protecting children and young people from what they are not yet ready for, empowering them to take control of their digital lives, and enabling them to participate in the way they are entitled to. Responsibility for healthy development does not lie with a single entity, and certainly not solely with the child. Germany doesn't lack knowledge or rules on how the internet should be designed for children and young people, but rather implementation. The recommendations are the starting point for a comprehensive strategy for a long-term, adaptive process involving all stakeholders. Young people must help shape the digital space, and we will support and empower them in this endeavor. The recommendations now presented, taken together, enable protected participation."
Co-chair of the commission Nadine Schön:
"With our 56 recommendations, we present a holistic approach to ensuring children and young people thrive in the digital world. For us, protection, empowerment, and participation are inextricably linked and form the common thread. Our recommendations address the entire life course, from early childhood to adulthood. Families need early guidance, schools need reliable strategies, young people need safe and accessible support services, and platforms need clear responsibilities. Secure default settings, age-appropriate content, and effective reporting mechanisms provide tangible relief for children, parents, and professionals. When it comes to social media and AI, protection standards must be considered from the outset. The digital world must be aligned with the rights, needs, and developmental opportunities of children and young people – not the other way around. Our goal is a learning implementation system that ensures the long-term effectiveness of protection, empowerment, and participation."
Background:
- The Independent Expert Commission “Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World” was appointed by Federal Minister Karin Prien in September 2025.
- Based on a comprehensive analysis of digital opportunities and risks for children and young people, the Commission has developed 56 recommendations for action. These follow a developmental and responsibility-oriented approach: They take into account the different life phases of young people and are specifically aimed at the actors who bear the greatest responsibility at each stage. The aim is to effectively strengthen the protection, empowerment, and participation of children and young people across all developmental stages, thereby promoting cooperation between policymakers, society, and other stakeholders.
- The recommendations build on the inventory published in April 2026. The complete recommendations for action, including detailed problem and objective descriptions, will be published by mid-July 2026. The commission's final report, including the results of the children's and youth participation process and the contributions from the expert hearings, will follow in September 2026.
Further information:
https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/bmbfsfj/themen/kinder-und-jugend/expertenkommission-kinder-und-jugendschutz-in-der-digitalen-welt
Source: Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Better protecting and strengthening children and young people in the digital world – BMBFSFJ, 24.06.2026
