## Family Ministry Warns: Music Streaming Services Offer Insufficient Protection for Children
**SCHAU HIN!**, a joint initiative by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, ARD, ZDF, and the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse, has voiced concerns about the lack of child protection functions on music streaming services such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, and Spotify.
These popular streaming platforms were not explicitly designed with children in mind. Moreover, most of them require users to be at least 13 years of age. However, there is little to no enforcement of this age requirement. This loophole means that even the youngest users can be easily exposed to content that many parents would prefer to avoid. These range from misogynistic German rap and far-right rock to sexist music videos.
Given the lack of strict enforcement of the minimum usage age, the initiative advises parents to actively monitor their children’s media consumption and engage in conversations about the content they come across. In some cases, adjusting device settings could offer improved protection.
### Encouraging Parental Engagement
While some streaming services offer the option to restrict access to content marked as „explicit,“ the criteria for song evaluation and categorization are often unclear. For parents seeking child-friendly music options, „SCHAU HIN!“ recommends websites like seitenstark.de, which links to children’s radio stations as an alternative to conventional streaming services.
Additionally, it might be beneficial to make content available offline, limiting access strictly to pre-selected media deemed safe.
The officials from the Family Ministry, ARD, ZDF, and the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse are fundamentally urging parents to engage in open dialogue with their children. This conversation should encompass problematic content and explore artistic as well as content boundaries.
### Conclusion
In a digital age where access to a vast array of content is at our fingertips, it’s crucial for parents to guide and protect their children from potentially harmful material. Music streaming services, popular for their convenience and extensive libraries, must take greater responsibility in safeguarding young users. Until more rigorous protective measures are implemented, it remains the responsibility of parents to be vigilant, seeking out safer alternatives and fostering an environment where open dialogue about media consumption is encouraged.
source: https://www.ifun.de/familienministerium-musik-streamer-schuetzen-kinder-nur-unzureichend-229384/
