(de-news.net) – Karsten Wildberger (CDU), Federal Minister for Digital Affairs, has emphasized the imperative of safeguarding children and adolescents from potentially harmful content disseminated via social media platforms. In light of escalating concerns surrounding digital hate speech, cyberbullying, and misinformation, Wildberger expressed support for the implementation of age-based access restrictions. He stressed the necessity of fostering a secure and health-promoting digital environment for younger populations.
To enhance conceptual understanding of emerging technologies — particularly artificial intelligence — Wildberger advocated for a more robust integration of digital tools within educational curricula. He also underscored the need to streamline and centralize oversight of Germany’s sixteen federal data protection authorities, criticizing the existing fragmented regulatory landscape. Although current legislative frameworks lack coherence, he maintained that the protection of personal data and privacy remains a principal policy concern.
Despite prevailing deficiencies in the provision of accessible, citizen-oriented digital services across municipal, state, and federal levels, Wildberger expressed confidence in achieving substantive progress by the end of the current legislative term. Wildberger stressed the urgency of standardizing administrative processes as a means to mitigate systemic inefficiencies and accelerate the nation’s digital transformation. He proposed the centralization of public services and the deployment of platform-oriented solutions embedded with artificial intelligence to reduce operational complexity and expedite governmental procedures. Key objectives include the digitization of routine administrative task — such as vehicle registration, identity documentation, and application for social benefits. Still, the minister acknowledged that full implementation would necessitate strategic prioritization and flexibility.
In conclusion, the minister lamented Germany’s continued inability to scale digital business models internationally, notwithstanding the country’s established excellence in scientific research. He remarked, “We are not making full use of our talent,” thereby highlighting the need for improved translation of research capacity into entrepreneurial and global digital success.