In today’s Digest we cover Germany backing social media curbs for children, the DOJ probing Netflix’s market power as Paramount submits a higher offer for Warner Bros, and the Motion Picture Association sending a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance over Seedance 2.0.

Germany backs social media curbs for children

In an escalation of Europe’s debate over children’s online safety, Germany’s ruling party, the Christian Democratic Union, has approved a motion calling for a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 14. Meeting at a party conference in Stuttgart, the conservatives led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz also urged stricter digital age-verification checks for teenagers and proposed fines for platforms that fail to enforce the rules. The party further pressed for harmonised age standards across the European Union.

The motion calls on Germany’s federal government to introduce a legal minimum age of 14 for social networks and to strengthen protections for young people up to the age of 16. The conservatives’ coalition partners, the Social Democrats, have also expressed support for tighter curbs, raising the likelihood of legislative action. 

DOJ probes Netflix’s power as Paramount submits higher bid for Warner Bros

The US Department of Justice is examining whether Netflix’s proposed USD$72bn (£53.3bn) acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery could breach federal antitrust laws, widening scrutiny beyond the transaction itself to the streaming group’s broader market conduct. According to a civil investigative demand reviewed by Bloomberg News, regulators are assessing whether the deal could substantially lessen competition or create a monopoly, in potential violation of the Clayton Act or the Sherman Act. As part of the probe, the Justice Department is also exploring whether Netflix exercises anticompetitive leverage over creators during negotiations to acquire programming. 

Meanwhile, Paramount has raised its bid for Warner Bros Discovery Inc. The new offer improves the $30-a-share, all-cash proposal which the video giant had taken straight to Warner Bros shareholders back in December. The bid includes greater certainty over Paramount's financing, people close to the matter have said.

MPA sends cease-and-desist to ByteDance

The Motion Picture Association has issued a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, accusing the group of “pervasive and widespread infringement” of its members’ intellectual property. According to a copy of the letter, the trade body alleges that ByteDance’s newly launched generative AI video tool, Seedance 2.0, has been used to produce content that closely replicates protected characters and other copyrighted elements from studio-owned works.

It is understood to be the first time the MPA has taken such direct action against a major AI company.

In its letter, addressed to ByteDance’s global general counsel John Rogovin, the MPA said that social media platforms were already replete with videos attributed to the tool that feature well-known studio characters. The association argued that general assurances of respect for intellectual property which ByteDance has publicly offered are insufficient without concrete safeguards.