Social media Minimum age of 15: majority in favor of rules for social media use
The majority of the Swiss population sees social networks as more of a danger than an opportunity. This was announced by a research institute on Tuesday.
13.01.2026, 16:52
SDA
In a representative survey, Marketagent found that the majority of the 1001 participants wanted a legal minimum age and a stricter legal framework for the use of social platforms.
TikTok by far the riskiest
In the perception of the respondents, the risks of social media for children and young people outweigh the benefits twice as much. Opportunities such as social participation and communication, the acquisition of digital skills and access to knowledge and education hardly carry any weight in the face of dangers such as sexual harassment, excessive consumption, addiction or cyberbullying.
Respondents rated the platform TikTok as particularly risky for children and young people - followed by Snapchat and Instagram, with the latter ranking roughly equal in the survey.
One solution could be the introduction of a legal minimum age. According to the survey, 83% of respondents would be in favor of this. At around 81%, approval among 14 to 19-year-olds is barely noticeably lower. According to the survey, the desired minimum age was 15.
According to Managing Director Roland Zeindler, this shows that a legal minimum age is an important step for many in terms of effective child and youth protection and enables responsible use of social media.
In the perception of those surveyed, parents would be primarily responsible for compliance. They saw significantly less responsibility for the platforms themselves or the state.
