Why We Can't Legislate the Algorithm (A Media Theory Analysis)
From FUNK !T | Mindful Media & Communication by Sascha Funk
March 1, 2026 · 11 min
About this episode
Sascha Funk analyzes the implications of the German government's motion to ban social media for youth under 14, using Foucault's theories to critique the approach.
You cannot build a 19th-century border wall around a 21st-century cloud. Body: This week, the German government (CDU) pushed a motion to strictly ban social media for youth under 14, requiring digital ID verification to log into platforms like TikTok. In this episode, Sascha Funk breaks down why this isn't child protection—it's a bureaucratic panic attack. Applying Michel Foucault’s theories of Disciplinary Power and spatial control, we dissect the state's cognitive dissonance: attempting to become a tech superpower while legally mandating digital blindness for its youth. We explore how these bans don't create safety, but rather drive behavior underground, turning a generation of kids into "digital smugglers." Finally, we discuss why "Digital Sparring" and media literacy are the only real defenses against the algorithm. Topics: The CDU's Under-14 Social Media Ban and Digital ID. Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish applied to digital spaces. The "Boomer Illusion" of legislative control over tech paradigms. Digital Smugglers vs. Digital Citizens: The necessity of sparring. Keywords: Michel Foucault, Disciplinary Power, German Politics, CDU, Social…
People in this episode
Host: Sascha Funk
Topics covered
- Social Media Ban
- Digital ID
- Disciplinary Power
- Media Literacy
- Digital Smugglers
- Bureaucracy
- Tech Policy
Keywords
- Michel Foucault
- Disciplinary Power
- German Politics
- Social Media Ban
- Digital ID
- Media Ecology
- Bureaucracy
- Tech Policy
- FUNK !T Podcast
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CDU
Products: TikTok
Books & works: Discipline and Punish
Places: Germany
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