Publication date: Press ReleasePublished on November 20, 2025
Meta Information
Author: Federal Commission for Children and Youth Affairs (FCCY)
Source: Swiss Federal Administration
Publication date: November 20, 2025
Summary reading time: 3 minutes
Executive Summary
The Federal Commission for Children and Youth Affairs (FCCY) positions itself against blanket social media bans for minors and instead calls for participatively developed rules, enhanced media literacy promotion, and legal regulation of tech giants. This position is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which, alongside protection rights, equally emphasizes rights to empowerment, participation, and access to information. For decision-makers, this means: Regulation yes, but with focus on platform responsibility rather than individual bans – an approach that promotes innovation and digital maturity rather than suppressing it.
Critical Key Questions
Where is the boundary between legitimate youth protection and digital paternalism that excludes young people from social participation?
What responsibility do tech corporations bear for their algorithm-driven business models – and why is this burden primarily shifted to parents and youth?
Can participatory regulatory frameworks actually possess the agility to keep pace with platforms' innovation speed?
Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives
Short-term (1 year):
Intensification of political debate with possible cantonal pilot projects for participatory frameworks. Tech corporations might preemptively introduce voluntary commitments to avert stricter regulation.
Medium-term (5 years):
Establishment of a European regulatory framework analogous to the Digital Services Act, with Swiss adaptations. Emergence of a generation of digitally literate youth who use platforms more critically.
Long-term (10-20 years):
Fundamental transformation of the social media landscape through decentralized alternatives and open-source platforms. Media literacy becomes the fourth cultural technique alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Main Summary
Core Topic & Context
The FCCY intervenes in the currently heated debate about social media bans for minors with a differentiated counter-proposal. While internationally (particularly in Australia and parts of the USA) strict age bans are being discussed, the Swiss commission advocates for a middle ground between laissez-faire and prohibition.
Key Facts & Figures
• Equality of three children's rights according to UN Convention: protection, empowerment/participation, information access
• FCCY demands legal regulation of online platforms
• Emphasis on participatively developed rules involving youth
• Media literacy promotion as central building block
• No blanket ban, but age-appropriate access
Stakeholders & Affected Parties
• Primary: Children and youth in Switzerland
• Secondary: Parents, schools, youth organizations
• Economic: Tech corporations (Meta, TikTok, Google, etc.)
• Political: Cantons, federal authorities, education directorates
Opportunities & Risks
Opportunities:
• Development of digital sovereignty among youth
• Innovation pressure on platforms for safe, age-appropriate offerings
• Strengthening of media literacy as societal resource
Risks:
• Implementation complexity of participatory processes
• Possible competitive disadvantages for Swiss youth with more restrictive regulation
• Enforcement problem with global platforms
Action Relevance
Decision-makers should now set the course for a balanced regulatory framework that:
• Legally anchors platform responsibility
• Prioritizes educational investments in media literacy
• Institutionalizes youth participation in regulatory processes
• Seeks international coordination without waiting for it
Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking
✅ UN Convention on the Rights of the Child indeed anchors the mentioned three areas of rights
✅ FCCY is official advisory body to the Federal Council
⚠️ Concrete regulatory proposals not specified in article [Position paper not available]
⚠️ International comparative data on social media bans missing
Supplementary Research
- EU Digital Services Act – Reference framework for platform regulation
- Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s – Contrast model to Swiss approach
- JAMES Study 2024 – Current data on Swiss youth media usage
Source Index
Primary source:
Social Media: Age-appropriate Access and Rules Instead of Bans – FCCY Press Release
Verification status: ✅ Facts checked on 11/20/2025
Version: 1.0
Analysis: press@clarus.news
License: CC-BY 4.0