Denmark’s government unveiled plans to ban social media access for anyone under 15, in one of Europe’s toughest moves yet to curb young people’s exposure to harmful online content, the Associated Press reported.
Digital Affairs Minister Caroline Stage said the proposal comes amid growing concern that children are spending too much time online and facing “too great a risk” from violent and self-harm content.
“They have an absurd amount of money available, but they’re simply not willing to invest in the safety of our children,” she said, referring to large technology companies.
Parents could be allowed to grant limited access to children as young as 13, following an individual assessment. The government plans to finalize legislation in the coming months, with Stage pledging that “Denmark will hurry, but we won’t do it too quickly because we need to make sure that the regulation is right and that there is no loopholes for the tech giants to go through.”
Enforcement details are still being worked out. Denmark intends to use its national digital ID system and an upcoming age-verification app to ensure compliance. Stage said tech companies would be required to verify users’ ages or face potential penalties through the EU, including fines of up to 6% of their global income.
The Danish plan follows Australia’s move in December to bar children under 16 from social media. Governments around the world are seeking to protect minors online while balancing the benefits of digital access. Stage said the goal is “not about excluding children from everything digital” but shielding them from harmful material.
TikTok said it welcomed Denmark’s initiative and noted its existing safety tools for young users, including “Family Pairing.” Meta (META), parent of Instagram and Facebook, didn’t immediately comment.
Stage said patience with Big Tech has run out: “We’ve given the tech giants so many chances to stand up and to do something about what is happening on their platforms. They haven’t done it. So now we will take over the steering wheel and make sure that our children’s futures are safe.”