After Graz Rampage: Babler Demands EU-Wide Age Limit for Facebook & Co.

However, there is no concrete model yet, Chancellor Christian Stocker mentioned an age limit as "one of the possibilities." Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ) has now advocated for a ban up to 15 years old to the APA and wishes for a solution at the European level.

"We must protect our children from the algorithms of online corporations," he emphasized in a written statement. Children are bombarded daily by completely uncontrolled algorithms of non-European private corporations with fake news, real depictions of violence, and extremist content, without regard for youth protection and the common good.

Babler adopts Macron's proposal

Babler therefore adopts the proposal of French President Emmanuel Macron, who advocated for an EU-wide social media ban for children and adolescents under 15 after a fatal knife attack at a French school last week. Babler suggested putting the issue at the center of the Danish presidency of the Council starting in early July. He will hold talks at the European level in the coming weeks.

If no European initiative is established by the end of the year, Babler wants to find national solutions. Digital State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) recently spoke of a national solution that would require platforms to comply with their age restrictions. As a possible lever, he mentioned the provision of the General Data Protection Regulation, which states that data of those under 14 may not be processed.

"A European solution would be desirable here - after all, the states of the European Union are an important market for the companies offering social media," said ÖVP media spokesperson Kurt Egger on Friday. Approval also came from the NEOS. With the Digital Services Act, the EU has created a strong instrument, but implementation is stalling due to national solo efforts. "Anyone who is serious about protecting our children must act at the European level - and now," said EU MP Helmut Brandstätter in a statement.

Shooting in Graz: Babler for faster implementation and enforcement of the Digital Services Act

"Hoping for an EU initiative is right - but it does not absolve the federal government of its responsibility to act immediately in Austria," said Green children's and youth spokesperson Barbara Neßler. Her party calls for a legally anchored minimum age for the use of social media, mandatory age checks, and penalties for platforms that do not comply. Education about dealing with social media should also take place in schools.

In addition to the social media ban up to 15, Vice Chancellor Babler also advocated for faster implementation and enforcement of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which prescribes control and transparency for the algorithms of large online platforms. This control is currently not satisfactory, and Babler can also imagine harsher penalties for refusal or incomplete information transmission by the platforms.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.