A clear majority of people in Iceland support banning children under the age of 16 from using social media, according to a new national survey. The research suggests public concern about young people’s online activity is widespread across most age groups.
Polling company Prósent found that 70% of respondents were in favour of a ban, while 12% opposed the idea. A further 18% said they neither supported nor rejected such restrictions.
Support was higher among women than men, with nearly three-quarters of women backing a ban compared with around two-thirds of men.
Younger Adults Least Supportive
Views varied by age, though not in a simple pattern. Young adults aged 18 to 24 were the least supportive group, with 60% in favour and more than one in five opposed.
The strongest backing came from those aged 25 to 44, where around three in four supported a ban. Support then dipped slightly among older age groups, but remained higher than among the youngest adults surveyed.
The findings come as debate continues internationally about children’s access to social media. Australia has recently introduced a ban for under-16s.
In Iceland, Minister of Education and Children’s Affairs Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson has proposed banning mobile phones in primary schools, arguing that children have too easy access to social media.
The survey was carried out between 12 and 19 December, with responses from 1,950 people.