Denmark pushes for EU-wide social media ban for children under 15
Denmark is considering a legislative ban on social media use for children under 15, as announced by Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen in a recent interview. This initiative comes as Denmark prepares to assume the EU Council presidency on July 1, positioning the country to push for stricter youth protections across the Union. Olsen expressed concerns that current social media platforms fail to safeguard young users, highlighting persistent issues with harmful content and addictive design features that disproportionately affect minors.
During the latest Telecom Council meeting, Denmark joined six other EU Member States in calling on the European Commission to strengthen age verification mechanisms online. While all seven countries support enhanced verification, Denmark, France, and Greece are advocating for the more radical step of an outright ban for users under 15. Olsen criticized social media companies for prioritizing data harvesting and advertising revenue over user welfare, arguing that platforms have not fulfilled their responsibilities to protect young people.
The Commission is currently drafting guidelines under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to bolster protections for minors. However, Olsen voiced dissatisfaction with the progress, insisting that only stringent guidelines—particularly regarding Article 28—will be effective. Denmark intends to make online child protection the central topic at the upcoming informal EU digital ministers’ meeting in October, emphasizing the urgency of robust enforcement and clearer regulatory standards.
Additionally, Olsen suggested that the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act could be leveraged to address the risks of addictive digital design. She also indicated Denmark’s support for comprehensive age verification at both device and app levels to prevent minors from accessing pornographic content, referencing recent measures taken in France. Olsen’s remarks underline Denmark’s commitment to placing child safety at the forefront of the EU’s evolving digital policy framework.
