The Government of Denmark has decided to ban the use of social networks for children up to 15 years old. The aim is to protect the mental health of young people and reduce the influence of platforms that “steal childhood”. The statement was issued by the Danish Ministry of Digitalisation.
According to the statement, the initiative comes from a call by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who recently expressed concern about the mental health of young people in a speech to Parliament.
The main ban applies to children up to 15 years old. However, parents will be allowed to grant exemptions for access to certain platforms for children starting at age 13.
“So-called social networks are thriving, stealing time, childhood and the well-being of our children, and we are stopping it now”
– Minister of Digitalisation Carolina Stage Olsen
Support and Goals
Most parties in the Danish Parliament have already voiced their support for the plan ahead of the official vote.
According to the government, the most popular platforms among Danish children are Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. According to a February analysis, youth in Denmark spend on average about 2 hours and 40 minutes daily on social networks.
The Danish leader outlined five priority actions for the comprehensive protection of children and youth in the digital space, including strengthening oversight of tech giants and an active stance at the EU level.
Denmark is joining the countries that have already introduced similar restrictions. For example, last year Australia banned social networks for children up to 16 years old. In France in 2023 it was proposed to ban social networks for people under 15, but with parental permission. In the United States there is a rule that requires parental consent to collect data from children under 13, but there is no complete ban.
It is expected that the new rules will push global tech giants to change access policies for youth and focus more on encryption and parental controls – after all, the digital space for teenagers requires a more responsible approach from platforms.