Germany's consumer watchdog demands tougher social media rules to curb harm

Ramona Pop, executive director of the Föderation der Verbraucherzentralen Deutschlands (VZBV), has called for stricter regulations on social media platforms. She warns that current business models and content algorithms are harming users, particularly when it comes to diet advice and mental health risks.

Pop has criticised posts from self-proclaimed health experts who promote extreme diet tips. She argues that such content can push users towards eating disorders or anorexia. Her concerns extend to AI-generated food recommendations, which she claims may lack nutritional balance and reinforce unhealthy habits.

She also opposes relying solely on age restrictions as a solution. Pointing to Australia's experience, she notes that these measures are often bypassed and fail to address deeper issues. Instead, she urges lawmakers to enforce default safety settings for all users and overhaul harmful platform practices. Pop highlights manipulative design features like endless scrolling and autoplay videos. These techniques, she says, make it harder for users to disconnect, worsening mental health risks. The VZBV, which represents 179 regional consumer centres, supports her call for broader systemic changes rather than piecemeal fixes.

Pop's proposals focus on regulatory action rather than voluntary industry reforms. She wants mandatory safety defaults and stricter oversight of platform algorithms. The goal is to reduce exposure to harmful content and create a less addictive online environment.