Norway plans to ban social media for children under 16
The Norwegian government plans to ban children under 16 from using social media. At the same time, technology companies will be responsible for verifying users' ages.
This was reported by NRK.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that the goal of the initiative is to protect children and reduce the influence of digital platforms on teenagers.
According to him, children should not be left alone with social media algorithms designed to capture users’ attention. He emphasized that the state has a duty to protect them.
The bill is expected to be submitted within the year, and if passed by parliament, it could take effect next year. To implement the initiative, Norway is also relying on European legislation on digital services, which requires platforms to verify users’ ages.
Digitalization Minister Karianne Tung warned that companies that fail to comply with the rules could face fines and other penalties.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed that high school students regularly observe a “screen-free day.” This involves abstaining from phones and social media to refocus attention on learning and face-to-face communication. Separately, he advocated for a complete ban on social media for children under 15, explaining that this is necessary to reduce the influence of the digital environment.
The Lithuanian Seimas plans to consider legislative changes that would restrict access to social media for children under 16.
Greece plans to ban access to social media for children under 15. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to announce this.
