Denmark Introduces Minimum Age Requirement for Social Media
Denmark has taken a significant step in addressing concerns about the impact of social media on youth mental health by announcing a minimum age requirement of 15 years old for certain platforms. This decision was made public on Friday, following Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s call for restrictions on children’s use of social media during her opening speech to Parliament last month.
A majority of parties in parliament have expressed their support for this initiative, which marks Denmark as one of the first countries in the European Union to implement age limits on social media. The digitalization ministry stated that this move is aimed at protecting children and young people in the digital world. As a starting point, children under the age of 15 should not have access to platforms that may expose them to harmful content or features.
The ministry did not specify which social media platforms are affected or how the ban will be enforced. However, exceptions can be made if parents believe their child should have access to social media at an earlier age. According to the statement, parents will have the opportunity to consent to their children’s access, if their children are as young as 13.
Additional Measures to Protect Children Online
The agreement also includes plans to allocate 160 million Danish kroner (approximately 21.4 million USD or 24.8 million EUR) to 14 initiatives aimed at strengthening the protection of children and young people online and creating a better framework for their digital lives.
As part of the agreement, the supervision of the EU’s Digital Services Act will be strengthened, and funds will be allocated to support the development of alternative social media platforms. Additionally, extra efforts will be made to combat illegal marketing by influencers, as mentioned in the statement.
A coalition of lawmakers emphasized that children should not be left alone in a digital world where harmful content and commercial interests are too much a part of shaping their everyday lives and childhoods. The ministry highlighted that children and young people experience disrupted sleep, loss of peace and concentration, and increasing pressure from digital relationships where adults are not always present. This is a development that no parent, teacher, or educator can stop alone.
Digitalization Minister Caroline Stage stated, “Denmark is now leading the way in Europe with a national age limit for social media and a concerted effort to strengthen the digital wellbeing of children and young people.” She added, “We are taking a necessary stand against a development where large tech platforms have had free rein in children’s rooms for far too long.”
Global Trends in Social Media Regulation
This Danish plan follows the lead of Australia, which is set to become the first country to ban social media for children, setting the minimum age at 16. In September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed inspiration by Australia’s “common sense” decision to enact age restrictions.
The legislation subjects social media platforms to fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (approximately 30 million USD or 32.3 million USD) for allowing children under 16 to create accounts. On Wednesday, Australia announced that it had added the message board Reddit and the livestreaming service Kick to its list of social media platforms that must prohibit children under 16 from having accounts.
These platforms will join Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube in facing a world-first legal obligation to shut down accounts belonging to younger Australian children on December 10, according to Communications Minister Anika Wells.