As the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party’s congress nears, the local CDU branch of Schleswig-Holstein is pushing to scrap online anonymity.
Ahead of the February 20–21 gathering, the branch proposes that real-name verification could be the key to “organising the digital public sphere” and “protecting” democracy.
It justifies this move in the face of online security concerns.
“Illegal behaviour must no longer be facilitated by anonymous structures,” the party insists, arguing that ID checks would let platforms punish bad actors, protect against foreign political interference and protect young people from online harm.
The CDU is also looking to the Australian model.
It wants to ban under-16s from social media entirely, arguing that platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook are far from neutral.
“Open social networks are no longer age-neutral spaces; they shape mental health, social behaviour, and political orientation,” it says, arguing that mandatory age verification is the only way to enforce the minimum.
“The legal minimum age for using open social networks such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook must be set at 16 years, accompanied by mandatory age verification to effectively monitor and enforce compliance with the age limit,” the CDU said.
“The Australian model can serve as a template for a similar legislative initiative in Germany,” it added.
Austria, Spain, France and the UK are reportedly flirting with similar measures.
Austria is set to join other European Union countries in banning young people from accessing social media. https://t.co/0lnLUgBM4h
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) February 9, 2026
“Strict regulations on age limits for social media use can provide effective protection for children and adolescents from the effects of hate and incitement, psychological pressure, bullying, and harmful online content,” the CDU states.
It is also targeting Big Tech’s wallets to “protect democracy”.
They argue that tech giants profit hugely from journalistic content but do not fund it.
“More than half of digital advertising revenue now flows to a few global online platforms, which use third-party journalistic content to generate reach and revenue without adequately compensating the media organisations where this content is researched and produced,” the CDU insists.
The motion proposes a levy on platforms with more than 45 million European Union users, echoing thresholds in the EU’s Digital Services Act.
“Revenue from the digital levy will be earmarked, managed independently of the state, and allocated transparently to support local and regional media offerings,” the CDU said.
“Funding will be distributed according to clearly defined and comprehensible criteria, with the aim of sustainably securing journalistic diversity and strengthening democratic opinion-forming at the local level,” it added.
These recommendations come as CDU MP Daniel Günther, the Prime Minister of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, came under fire for publicly demanding a crackdown on news sites and social media.
