The parliaments of the German federal states have passed the controversial amendment to the Youth Media Protection State Treaty (JMStV), adopting it as part of the 6th State Treaty Amending the Media State Treaty. This reform mandates that operating system (OS) providers such as Microsoft, Apple, or Google must integrate a compulsory "Jugendschutzvorrichtung" (child protection mechanism) into their software. The measure aims to establish pornography filters and age identification mechanisms for websites and apps at the fundamental level of PCs, laptops, smartphones, smart TVs, and gaming consoles, reports The WP Times citing heise.
The centerpiece of the long-debated amendment is the so-called "One-Button Solution," designed to allow parents to switch devices commonly used by minors into a child or youth mode with OS-level filters instantly. The primary goal is the effective protection of young people from age-inappropriate content online, including pornography, violence, hate speech, and misinformation. In this specialized mode, common browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari may only be used if they possess a "secured search function," unless unsecured access is individually and securely activated. Furthermore, apps will only be accessible regardless of the preset age level if they themselves have a recognized youth protection program or comparable suitable protective measure.
The Commission for Youth Media Protection (KJM) states that this filtering method should enable parents to "secure devices appropriately for their child's age with just one click." The new OS-level approach will come into force no later than December 1, 2027. For devices already in production, a transition period of three years for implementing the software feature applies starting from the announcement of the decision. Devices already on the market whose operating systems are no longer updated are exempt from the regulation. The reform also introduces stricter measures against content circumvention: so-called Mirror Domains (identical content under slightly altered web addresses) used by adult portals like xHamster or Pornhub are to be blocked rapidly. Additionally, state media authorities can prohibit payment service providers and system operators from processing payments to foreign providers of illicit content, for instance, suspending credit card transactions to adult portals without prior action against the content provider itself.
Leading OS manufacturers, tech associations, and the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) have sharply criticized the draft law. They consider the filter requirement technically and practically infeasible, in addition to being highly questionable from a legal perspective.
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