Norway Plans to Ban Social Media for Under-16s, Tech Companies to Verify User Age
The Norwegian government announced it will propose a bill to ban children and adolescents under 16 from using social media, requiring tech companies to verify the age of young users to enforce the restrictions. The bill is expected to be submitted to parliament by the end of the year, making Norway another country tightening rules on minors' social media use and focusing on the responsibility of large tech platforms in the online environment for young people.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated in a statement that the government is pushing for this legislation to allow children to truly have a childhood of their own. He said that play, friendship, and daily life "should not be taken over by algorithms and screens," and that this measure is crucial for protecting children's digital lives.
Reuters pointed out that many countries around the world have recently taken stricter regulatory measures regarding the potential risks of minors' access to social media. Australia has already launched a ban on social media for under-16s, and countries such as Spain and the United Kingdom are also studying tightening access and age verification mechanisms for teenagers on social media.
Previously, the Norwegian government had already begun to promote raising the age threshold for minors to consent to social media terms of use. According to a Reuters report in 2024, the Norwegian government had suggested raising the age at which children can independently consent to social media terms of use from 13 to 15, but parents can still make consent decisions on behalf of minors below that age.
In addition, Norwegian government data shows that about half of 9-year-old children in the country are using some form of social media, which has also kept the issue of online protection for minors under continued policy-level attention.