The independent expert commission “Protection of Children and Youth in the Digital World” submitted its recommendations to Federal Minister of Education and Family Affairs Karin Prien. The recommendations focus on better protecting children and adolescents in the digital space while allowing them to participate. Instead, platforms, educational institutions, parents, and government actors should take on more responsibility. Dr. Claudia Lampert‘s expertise was incorporated into the commission’s work.
“The digital world must adapt to the child, not the other way around,” emphasizes the commission’s co-chair, Prof. Dr. Olaf Köller. Excluding children and adolescents from digital spaces is not an effective form of protection. Instead, the focus should be on safeguarding young people from risks, empowering them, and facilitating their digital participation.
Co-Chair Nadine Schön emphasizes the holistic nature of the recommendations: “For us, protection, empowerment, and participation go hand in hand and form a common thread.” The 56 recommendations cover all stages of life, from early childhood through adolescence. They are intended to better align the digital world with the rights, needs, and developmental opportunities of children and adolescents.
The expert commission, which consists of 18 specialists in law, medicine, psychology, criminology, pedagogy, communication studies, and educational research, was formed in September 2025. In April 2026, the commission presented a comprehensive review of the current state of research, risks, media literacy, and the legal framework. This review, together with numerous hearings, formed the basis for the published recommendations for action.
You find the Recommendations for Action here (in German only)
To the Summary of the Recommendations for Action (in German only)
Photo: Thomas Imo/BMBFSFJ/photothek.de