📊 Survey reveals TikTok concerns
A new Appinio survey, commissioned by "nebenan.de," shows 38% of Germans want TikTok banned. 33% oppose a ban, while 29% are undecided. Older Germans (55–65) strongly favor the ban (42%), but even among 16–24-year-olds, more than a third support it. The survey highlights growing concerns over TikTok’s influence on mental health and democracy. Philipp Witzmann, CEO of "nebenan.de," called for stronger regulations, emphasizing the platforms' addictive designs.
🌍 Global TikTok restrictions
TikTok faces global scrutiny. In the U.S., it risks a ban unless ByteDance splits from the app by January 19. Albania banned TikTok after a violent incident involving teens, and the EU is investigating its role in manipulating the Romanian election. India banned TikTok in 2020. In contrast, Australia introduced age limits for social media, gaining 87% approval among Germans, with many favoring restrictions for users under 16 or 18 years old.
📱 Rising calls for regulation
The survey revealed overwhelming skepticism about social media. 88% of respondents want stricter regulation across platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. TikTok, however, drew the harshest criticism, with users blaming it for negative effects on mental health, social behavior, and political views. YouTube emerged as the least concerning platform, with most respondents regularly using it without similar worries.
💡 Politicians urged to act
Politicians are under pressure to respond. Witzmann emphasized the need for effective regulations to address addictive designs and dependency-driven algorithms. TikTok has removed over 20M suspected underage profiles in 2024, but the survey suggests this is not enough to ease public concerns. With over 50% of Germans favoring an age limit of 16 or higher, stronger measures may be inevitable.
Should Germany follow Australia's lead with social media age limits?
