Key Takeaways
- Denmark will ban social media for children under 15, with limited parental exceptions from age 13
- Government cites alarming statistics: 94% of under-13s already use social media
- New age verification system using national ID, with fines up to 6% of global revenue for non-compliance
- Follows Australia’s similar ban, making Denmark the second country with such comprehensive restrictions
Denmark has announced a groundbreaking ban on social media access for children under 15, positioning itself as the second nation worldwide to implement such comprehensive digital protection measures. The European Union member state revealed this agreement as part of its strategy to shield young users from online harm.
Caroline Stage, Denmark’s Minister for Digital Affairs, disclosed concerning statistics to The Associated Press: 94% of Danish children under 13 already maintain profiles on at least one social media platform, with more than half of those under 10 also participating.
“The amount of time they spend online — the amount of violence, self-harm that they are exposed to online — is simply too great a risk for our children,” Stage stated.
Tech Companies Under Fire
The minister criticized social media giants for their approach to child safety, noting they possess “an absurd amount of money available, but they’re simply not willing to invest in the safety of our children.”
Her ministry described the pressure from tech companies’ business models as “too massive” to ignore, prompting the government’s decisive action.
Implementation Timeline and Strategy
The ban won’t take immediate effect, with lawmakers expected to spend months crafting appropriate legislation. Stage emphasized the need for careful planning: “I can assure you that Denmark will hurry, but we won’t do it too quickly because we need to make sure that the regulation is right and that there is no loopholes for the tech giants to go through.”
Denmark will leverage its national electronic ID system for enforcement, with nearly all citizens over 13 already possessing such identification. The government plans to develop an age-verification app similar to those being tested in other EU nations.
Enforcement and Penalties
While Denmark cannot mandate platforms to use its specific verification app, it can require proper age verification systems. Stage explained the enforcement mechanism: “If they don’t, we will be able to enforce through the EU commission and make sure that they will be fined up to 6% of their global income.”
Global Context
Denmark’s move follows Australia’s December decision to enact the world’s first social media ban for children, setting the minimum age at 16. The Australian law subjects platforms including , , , , X and to fines up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent underage accounts.
Stage clarified that Denmark’s initiative “is not about excluding children from everything digital” but focuses specifically on protecting them from harmful online content.
