Norway to Ban Social Media for Under-16s

Norway has announced plans to introduce legislation this year to ban children under 16 from using social media platforms, making it one of the latest countries to tighten digital access rules for minors.

The government said that technology companies would be required to verify users’ ages and ensure compliance with the proposed restrictions.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said the measure is intended to protect childhood experiences from being dominated by screens and algorithms, stressing the need to preserve time for play, friendships and normal daily life.

He described the proposal as an important step toward safeguarding children’s digital well-being.

“We are introducing this legislation because we want a childhood where children get to be children. Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens.

“This is an important measure to safeguard children’s digital lives,” he said. 

Norway’s Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance, Karianne Tung, said responsibility for enforcing the age limit should rest with technology companies rather than children.

She said firms must introduce effective age-check systems and comply with the law immediately once it takes effect.

“I expect technology companies to ensure that the age limit is respected. Children cannot be left with the responsibility for staying away from platforms they are not allowed to use.

“That responsibility rests with the companies providing these services. They must implement effective age verification and comply with the law from day one”.

The Norwegian government added that children’s access to phones and social media had already declined following earlier measures such as national screen-time guidance and recommendations for mobile-free schools.

Several European countries, including France, Spain and Denmark, have already signalled similar plans to impose a minimum age requirement for access to social networks, while Australia and Türkiye have already adopted such measures.

The European Commission has also indicated plans to strengthen child online safety, recently disclosing an age-verification app expected to be made available across Europe.