The Demarcation of "Digital Adulthood": The Frontline of Age Restrictions for Minors and Addiction Feature Regulations

The German Leopoldina has recommended that minors under 13 should not be allowed to create SNS accounts, those aged 13-15 should require parental consent, and those aged 13-17 should use an "age-appropriate mode." They also suggest disabling highly addictive features such as infinite scrolling, push notifications, and personalized ads. This is based on accumulated correlational studies and longitudinal research suggesting causation, advocating for the application of the precautionary principle. In terms of implementation, they propose privacy-conscious age verification through tools like the EUDI wallet, banning smartphones in schools, digital education, training for educators, and raising awareness among parents. Globally, Australia plans to ban SNS use for those under 16 starting December 2025, Spain is raising the registration age to 16, and EU leaders have expressed support for age restrictions. Reactions on social media are mixed, with calls for algorithm regulation and concerns about privacy bias in age verification being prominent. Moving forward, the simultaneous management of effectiveness and side effects, transparency and auditability, and time-bound review clauses will determine success.