Norway Proposes 15-Year Social Media Age Limit to Protect Minors
The Norwegian government is proposing an amendment to the Personal Data Act to raise the minimum age for social media use to 15 years, aiming to shield children from harmful content and the influence of large tech corporations. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the importance of this initiative, highlighting the need for policy intervention against the backdrop of significant opposition. Despite the current age limit of 13, a substantial number of younger children are active on social media, prompting the government to seek effective age verification methods.
Minister for Children and Families, Kjersti Toppe, expressed confidence that the proposed changes would empower parents to restrict their children’s social media access. However, the government faces challenges in implementing a practical age verification system, with bank ID verification being one potential solution. Toppe noted the necessity for a universally applicable method, as many individuals currently lack bank IDs.
Norway is also considering the European Union’s approach to digital regulations as a potential model. The EU is prioritizing the protection of minors online, with initiatives such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the proposed Digital Fairness Act aimed at addressing issues like addiction and cyberbullying. The EU Digital Wallet is being explored as a possible age verification tool, which could become a standard for digital services.
In France, temporary age verification measures for accessing adult content have been implemented using credit card checks. This reflects a broader European trend towards stricter controls on digital content access for minors, highlighting the ongoing challenges and developments in this area.
Source: Norwegian government to set 15-year age limit for using social media