Denmark will restrict access to social media for children under 15

The Danish government has announced plans to restrict access to social media for users under the age of 15. This initiative was supported by all political parties in the country, emphasizing the unity of approach to the issue of digital safety of young people.

How will the access restriction be implemented?

According to the project, the Ministry of Digitalization will set a minimum age for registration and use of a number of platforms, but it has not yet been disclosed which services will fall under the law. It has also not been specified how control over compliance with age restrictions will be organized.

The official statement of the ministry notes that children and adolescents face a number of problems in the digital environment, including sleep disturbances, reduced concentration, emotional pressure and lack of sufficient control by adults. Minister of Digitalization Carolina Stage emphasized that the state intends to define a clear framework for protecting young users on the Internet.

Experience in other countries

Similar measures are being considered in other countries. In Australia, a nationwide ban on the use of social networks by persons under the age of 16 will come into effect from December of this year.

In the United States, a number of states have already introduced or are considering similar restrictions. For example, some states require social platforms to strictly verify the age of users and provide parents with tools to monitor their children’s activity.

Similar initiatives are also being discussed in Europe: in the UK and France, laws are being considered that would restrict access to social networks for younger children and oblige platforms to adhere to children’s privacy standards.