Overview
- Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern’s Manuela Schwesig (SPD) and NRW’s Hendrik Wüst (CDU) urged a quick federal decision on age thresholds, building on Federal President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier’s support for a limit around 14.
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) called for action by summer with a tiered protection model, while Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) defended the timetable and said the commission’s evidence should steer next steps.
- The expert panel, co‑led by Nadine Schön and Olaf Köller, warned against rushed, ban‑only solutions but moved to release initial, concrete proposals and a status assessment before the parliamentary break.
- CSU general secretary Martin Huber voiced skepticism about blanket prohibitions and pointed to circumvention risks, even as CDU and SPD advocate fixed age limits, including proposals to bar under‑14s.
- Hesse’s data‑protection chief Alexander Roßnagel cautioned against intrusive ID uploads or AI age‑guessing and favored verified‑age proofs via eID or a future EU ID wallet, as teachers, parent groups, and disability and queer advocates warned broad bans could harm inclusion; Australia’s under‑16 ban remains a key reference point.