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As Australia Denmark this week began implementing the world’s first social media ban for children under 16, with Denmark planning to follow suit and severely restrict social media access for young people.
The Danish government announced last month that it had reached an agreement between the three ruling coalitions and two opposition parties in parliament to ban access to social media for anyone under the age of 15. Such a move would be the most comprehensive yet. European Union The nation will limit social media use among teenagers and children.
The Danish government’s plans could become law by mid-2026. Local media reported that the proposed measure would give some parents the right to let their children use social media from the age of 13, but the ministry has not yet shared its plans in full.
Many social media platforms already ban children under 13 from signing up, and EU law requires Big Tech to take measures to protect young people from online risks and inappropriate content. But officials and experts say such restrictions don’t always work.
Danish authorities have said that despite the restrictions, about 98% of Danish children under the age of 13 have a profile on at least one social media platform, and about half of children under the age of 10 have a profile.
Digital Affairs Minister Caroline Stage, who announced the proposed ban last month, said the measure was still undergoing a consultation process and would be read several times in parliament before becoming law, probably “in the middle to the end of next year.”
“For many years, we have allowed social media platforms to have free play in our children’s playroom. There are no limits,” Stage said in an interview with The Associated Press last month.
“When we go out on the town at night, there are bouncers who check the age of young people to make sure no underage people go to a party they shouldn’t be at,” he said. “In the digital world, we have no bouncers, and we definitely need one.”
mixed reactions
Under the new Australian law, Facebook, Instagram, Kik, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube could be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children under 16.
Some students say they are worried that similar strict laws in Denmark will mean they lose touch with their virtual communities.
“I have some friends of my own that I only know online, and if I wasn’t fifteen now, I wouldn’t be able to talk to those friends,” Ronja Zander, a 15-year-old student who uses Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, told the AP.
Copenhagen High school student Chloe Courage Fjellstrup-Mathiesen, 14, said she is aware of the negative effects of social media, from cyberbullying to viewing graphic material. He said he had seen a video of a man being shot several months ago.
“The video was everywhere on social media and I had just gone to school and then I saw it,” she said.
Line Pedersen, a mother from Nikobing, Denmark, said she believed the plans were a good idea.
“I think when we gave our kids telephones and social media from the age of eight, ten, we didn’t really realize what we were doing,” he said. “I just don’t think young people know what’s normal, what’s not normal.”
Age certificate probably part of the plan
Danish authorities have not yet shared how exactly the proposed ban will be implemented and which social media platforms will be affected.
However, a new “digital evidence” app, announced last month by the Ministry of Digital Affairs and expected to launch next spring, will likely form the backbone of the Danish plans. The ministry said the app will display an age certificate to ensure users comply with social media age limits.
“One thing is what they are saying and another thing is what they are doing or not doing,” Stage said, referring to social media platforms. “And that’s why we have to do something politically.”
Some experts say that sanctions, such as those employed by Denmark, do not always work and that they may even violate the rights of children and adolescents.
“For me, the biggest challenge is really the democratic rights of these children. I think it’s sad that this doesn’t get more attention,” said Anne Mette Thorhaughe, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen.
“Social media is to many kids what broadcast media was to my generation,” he said. “It was a way to connect with society.”
Currently, the EU’s Digital Services Act, which came into effect two years ago, requires social media platforms to ensure that young users have measures in place, including parental controls and age verification tools, before they can access their apps.
EU officials have acknowledged that enforcing rules aimed at protecting children online has proven challenging because it requires cooperation between member states and many resources.
Denmark is among several countries that have indicated they plan to follow in Australia’s footsteps. The Southeast Asian country of Malaysia is expected to ban social media accounts for people under 16 as early as next year, and Norway is also taking steps to restrict social media access for children and teens.
China — the maker of many of the world’s digital devices — has set limits on online gaming time and smart-phone time for children.
