Norway Proposes Law to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15
The Norwegian government is advancing a new law proposal aimed at protecting children online by banning social media platforms from offering their services to anyone under the age of 15. This initiative addresses growing concerns about the negative effects of screen time and social media on children’s sleep, mental health, learning, and concentration. The government emphasizes the importance of a safer digital environment for children and plans to collaborate with European partners to create effective regulations.
The proposed law will set an absolute age limit of 15 years for social media access and will include a clear definition of social media platforms to ensure proper enforcement. While the law aims to protect children from harmful content, abuse, commercial exploitation, and misuse of personal data, it will respect children’s rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and social participation. Certain exceptions will apply, such as platforms used for educational purposes or video games.
Implementing this law requires new legal and technological tools, especially for age verification, which currently lacks fully reliable solutions. Norway intends to work closely with the European Union and other countries to develop practical and accessible age verification methods. Alongside the law, Norway is raising the GDPR age of consent for processing personal data to 15 years, strengthening penalties for marketing violations targeting children, and promoting national recommendations to limit screen time and mobile phone use in schools.
Statistics from Norway show that 72% of children aged 9 to 12 use social media, with increasing exposure to violent or frightening content. Public support is strong, with 75% backing electronic age verification and 60% believing that the government should set age limits rather than platforms or parents. These measures aim to create a safer digital space for children and reduce risks associated with online activity.
