Norway has announced plans to introduce a new law this year that would ban children under 16 from using social media, placing the responsibility on tech companies to verify users’ ages
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the move is aimed at protecting childhood from being overtaken by digital platforms.
“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,”
The proposal aligns Norway with a growing list of countries tightening rules around young users online. Nations such as France, Spain, and Denmark have signaled similar plans, while countries like Australia and Turkey have already taken action.
At the European level, the European Commission recently unveiled an age-verification app designed to help enforce such restrictions across member states.
Norway’s Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance, Karianne Tung, stressed that enforcing the rules will fall squarely on tech companies, not children.
“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”.
Officials also noted that earlier policies—such as national screen-time guidelines and mobile-free school recommendations—have already led to a drop in the number of children owning phones or actively using social media.
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GBAM