Moral Panic Surrounding TikTok & Co.? Mannheim researcher examines the role of the media

Press release from  31 July 2026
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Australia, the United Kingdom, Indonesia: More and more countries around the world have already introduced a social media ban for children under 16 or are discussing similar regulations. In Germany, too, similar ideas are meeting with widespread approval. Whether parents or teachers—many people share the view that social media can harm children and adolescents, for example by affecting their mental health, well-being, or social relationships, and that a ban is the right measure. But how did this widespread attitude come about? And what role do news media play in this?

Mannheim-based communication scholar Prof. Dr. Sarah Geber is addressing these questions in her new research project, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with approximately 600,000 euros and will begin in September 2026. Under the title “Moral Panic as a Communicative Frame: Dynamics of Opinion Formation on Social Media Regulation,” the project examines how, for example, newspaper articles or online news contribute to the perception of social media and what consequences this has for attitudes and regulatory preferences in Germany.

“We want to understand how public opinion on social media regulation in Germany is formed and what role media coverage plays in this,” says Geber. “In the public debate, it is often assumed that social media is equally harmful to all children and adolescents. However, the current state of research paints a much more nuanced picture. It highlights both the risks and the potential of social media and points out differences in how adolescents use it.”

The project takes as its starting point the sensationalist media coverage that Geber has been observing for some time. “Time and again, social media and its effects are compared to drugs,” explains the researcher. Such portrayals could contribute to amplifying societal fears and fueling dynamics of moral panic. Positive aspects of social media, such as social networking or access to information, on the other hand, are rarely included in the debate.

Methodologically, the study combines a content analysis of coverage in leading German media outlets with a three-wave, population-representative panel survey. Among other things, the study analyzes which threat scenarios or problem descriptions dominate and how they correlate with the public’s perceptions and attitudes toward social media regulation.

The goal of the project is to use the findings to identify ways to foster a more objective and scientifically grounded public debate. “Especially when it comes to complex issues, scientific evidence should play a greater role in shaping the negotiation process,” the researcher said.

This text was translated from German by DeepL.

Contact: 

Prof. Dr. Sarah Geber 
Professor of Media and Communication Studies
Institute for Media and Communication Studies (MKW)
University of Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 181-2620
E-Mail: sarah.geberuni-mannheim.de

Yvonne Kaul
Research Communication
University of Mannheim
E-mail: kauluni-mannheim.de