Psychologists' Association Supports Digital Protection Recommendations

Berlin – The Professional Association of German Psychologists (BDP) has announced its support for 56 recommendations aimed at protecting children and adolescents in the digital environment. The association stated that the recommendations acknowledge the real-life conditions of young people and distribute responsibility for their protection among families, platform providers, schools, healthcare, and politics.

The BDP emphasizes that protective measures for children and adolescents must be commensurate with their developmental stage while allowing them increasing independence in using digital services. According to the association, the impact of social media on well-being depends more on what young people experience on these platforms and how they use them, rather than solely on usage time. Problematic usage, appearance-related comparisons, and sleep disturbances are more strongly linked to psychological distress.

The psychologists' association has outlined seven central demands that should be integrated into a comprehensive strategy. These include establishing age- and development-appropriate protection standards, bindingly anchoring platform responsibility, designing age verification in a data-conservative manner, securing children's rights and participation, expanding media education and counseling, specifically examining and regulating AI services, and scientifically monitoring measures.

The BDP advocates for access to social media that considers age and developmental level. While age limits can guide families, their protective effect largely depends on the service design. The association insists that children's and adolescents' rights to privacy, information, and participation must be guaranteed by incorporating their experiences in the formulation and evaluation of regulations.