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Günther Clarifies TV Remarks as Tabloids Escalate Row Over Social-Media Limits

The CDU premier rejects claims he sought to abolish government‑critical outlets following a ZDF exchange about regulating platforms.

Overview

  • On ZDF’s Markus Lanz, Daniel Günther agreed to the host’s framing about possible regulation up to censorship or bans and said social media should be off-limits to under‑16s.
  • Bild, Die Welt and Julian Reichelt’s portal accused him of wanting to eliminate government‑critical media, with some calls for his resignation.
  • Günther later stated he never advocated abolishing such outlets and emphasized youth protection and platform rules as his focus.
  • He singled out so‑called new‑right media, notably Reichelt’s site, while discussing manipulation and misinformation online.
  • He also repeated support for reviewing a potential AfD ban and warned about the influence of American tech companies, as commentators cite the episode as an example of distortion fueling polarization.