Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag (JMStV, Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media), Section 4(2)
In force
JMStV Sec. 4(2), consolidated text in force 2025-12-01
Effective 2003-04-01 · Applies to private
Prohibits offering pornographic content in telemedia unless the provider ensures the content is accessible only to adults through a closed user group (geschlossene Benutzergruppe), typically verified by an age verification system (Altersverifikationssystem) assessed against KJM criteria.
| Age threshold | 18 |
| Verification methods | gov id, digital id, third party service |
| Penalties | Administrative fines (Ordnungswidrigkeit) of up to 500,000 euros and orders to block or restrict noncompliant offerings |
| Enforcement body | Kommission fuer Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) and the Landesmedienanstalten (state media authorities) |
| Private suits | no |
Source: JMStV Sec. 4(2), consolidated text in force 2025-12-01
Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag (JMStV, Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media), Sections 12-12b, operating system youth protection device (Jugendschutzvorrichtung)
Enacted, not yet in force
JMStV Secs. 12, 12a and 12b, inserted by the Sechster Medienaenderungsstaatsvertrag (Sixth Interstate Treaty Amending Media Law Treaties), treaty in force 2025-12-01; transition rules in JMStV Sec. 25
Applies to private
Requires providers of operating systems commonly used by children and adolescents, as determined by the KJM, to equip their systems with a youth protection device (Jugendschutzvorrichtung) that can be activated, deactivated and adjusted in a simple, easily accessible and secured way and in which a child's age can be set. Once an age is set, the operating system must restrict browsing to search engines with a secured search function, allow app installation only from distribution platforms whose apps carry a machine readable age label from a KJM recognized automated rating system, and make only age appropriate apps usable unless individually unlocked by the parent. Under Section 25 these duties apply one year after the KJM publishes its determination of the covered operating systems, which is itself due within one year of the treaty's 1 December 2025 entry into force, so at the latest from 1 December 2027, extended to at most three years for operating systems in a current or completed production cycle, with non updatable systems on devices already sold exempt.
| Verification methods | device signal, parental consent |
| Penalties | Administrative fines (Ordnungswidrigkeit) of up to 2,000,000 euros for providing an operating system without a compliant youth protection device (JMStV Sec. 24(1) nos. 11-24 and Sec. 24(3)) |
| Enforcement body | Kommission fuer Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) and the Landesmedienanstalten (state media authorities) |
| Private suits | no |
Source: JMStV Secs. 12, 12a and 12b, inserted by the Sechster Medienaenderungsstaatsvertrag (Sixth Interstate Treaty Amending Media Law Treaties), treaty in force 2025-12-01; transition rules in JMStV Sec. 25
Jugendschutzgesetz (JuSchG, Youth Protection Act), Section 24a, Vorsorgemassnahmen (provider precautionary measures)
In force
JuSchG Sec. 24a
Effective 2021-05-01 · Applies to private
Requires providers of platforms accessible to children and teenagers to implement structural precautions: an accessible reporting and remedy procedure, easily findable references to independent counselling and help services, technical tools for parental control, and default settings that limit usage risk with regard to age. Enforced by the BzKJ, the federal agency created by the same 2021 amendment that also replaced the former Bundespruefstelle fuer jugendgefaehrdende Medien (BPjM, Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Young Persons).
| Penalties | Administrative fines under the JuSchG for providers that fail to implement required precautionary measures |
| Enforcement body | Bundeszentrale fuer Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz (BzKJ) |
| Private suits | no |
Source: JuSchG Sec. 24a