Denmark is preparing to prohibit social media use among children younger than 15, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced Tuesday, declaring that online platforms are “stealing our children’s childhood.”
Speaking at the opening of parliament, Frederiksen said her government will introduce legislation restricting access to social media for minors, while allowing parents to approve use from the age of 13.
“We have said yes to mobile phones in our children’s lives in the best sense. So they can call home and communicate with their friends,” she said. “But the reality is that we have let a monster loose. Never before have so many children and young people suffered from anxiety and depression.”
The prime minister pointed to growing concerns over children’s mental health and attention spans, noting that many struggle to focus, read, or avoid inappropriate content online. She also cited troubling statistics suggesting that 60% of boys aged 11 to 19 do not meet a single friend in person during their free time each week, though she did not specify the data source.
“Do you think that number would be so high if it weren’t for the smartphone?” Frederiksen asked. “Mobile phones and social media are stealing our children’s childhood,” she added, emphasizing that the proposed law aims to “take better care of our children here in Denmark.”
The measure follows Denmark’s recent decision to ban mobile phones from primary schools and after-school programs, based on recommendations from a wellbeing commission established by Frederiksen in 2023.
Denmark’s proposal mirrors similar initiatives worldwide as governments grapple with the impact of social media on young users. Last year, Australia became the first country to outlaw social media for children under 16. The law requires tech companies to take “reasonable steps” to block underage users or face penalties of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million).
In Norway, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has put forward a comparable proposal to restrict social media access for those under 15, launching a public consultation on the issue in June.
If passed, Denmark’s new policy would make it one of the most ambitious efforts in Europe to protect children from the harmful effects of digital overexposure.
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