Norway to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16

Norway is set to introduce a new law banning children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, making it one of the latest countries to tighten digital protections for minors.

The proposed legislation, expected to be presented later this year, will place the responsibility of age verification on technology companies rather than on children or parents.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the move is aimed at protecting children’s digital lives and ensuring that childhood is not dominated by screens and algorithms.

“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,” he said in a government statement.

He described the policy as an important step toward safeguarding children online.

Norway joins several other European countries taking similar action. France, Spain, and Denmark have also announced plans to introduce a digital age of majority for social media use, while Australia and Turkey have already implemented similar measures.

The European Commission has also stepped up efforts to protect children and teenagers online, recently unveiling an age-verification app expected to be made available to European citizens.

Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance Karianne Tung stressed that technology companies must ensure compliance with the law.

“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,” she said.

She added that companies must implement effective age verification systems and comply with the law from the first day it takes effect.

The Norwegian government also said that the number of children owning phones or using social media has already declined due to earlier policies such as national screen-time guidelines and recommendations for mobile-free schools.