The controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s chatbot, Grok, has reignited debates about protecting minors online, prompting Luxembourg’s Ombudsman for Children and Youth (OKAJU) to call for strict age limits on smartphones and social media access.
Grok recently faced significant criticism after users exploited it to generate non-consensual sexualised imagery and child sexual abuse material. This incident has amplified an ongoing discussion about digital safeguards, which gained global attention in late 2025 when Australia became the first country to implement a ban on social media for users under 16.
While Luxembourg prefers a coordinated European approach, it is no longer ruling out unilateral measures to restrict adolescent access. OKAJU asserts that state intervention is now urgently needed.
Ombudsman Charel Schmit emphasised that lawmakers must shield young people from the internet’s demonstrable risks, explicitly advocating for prohibitive measures. OKAJU’s specific proposals include a complete ban on screen time for children under three, a prohibition on smartphone ownership until age 15, and a minimum age of 16 for independent social media use. Until that age, the office recommends that adolescents ideally use only internet-free mobile devices.
Schmit defended this restrictive stance, arguing that clear bans send a necessary message and help shift social norms. He characterised the current digital environment as offering children virtually unlimited access to content that is “not good, not age-appropriate, and unfiltered.” OKAJU contends a decisive reversal of this situation is imperative.
Ombudsman Schmit acknowledged parental responsibility but argued the state must “regulate these platforms once and for all.” He cited Australia as a “trendsetter” and expressed confidence that Luxembourg could be a European pioneer in developing the requisite technical solutions.
He further contended that Luxembourg must increase oversight of industries like pornography that operate within its financial centre, holding them to a stricter standard of accountability. In Schmit’s view, the country is obligated to implement a robust age-verification system without delay.
Minister for Digitalisation Stéphanie Obertin noted that the Government IT Centre (CTIE) stands ready to assist in developing such an application. However, a legal framework authorising its use does not currently exist.
