Denmark will ban children under 15 from using social media.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen used her recent opening address to Parliament (Folketing) to announce plans to ban social media use for children under 15, a move that has drawn global attention.

In her speech, she warned, "We have unleashed a monster." Frederiksen argued that never before have so many children and teenagers faced anxiety, depression, and distraction as they do now, with social media and smartphones dominating almost every aspect of their lives.

She stressed, "On screens, children are exposed to things that no child or young person should see." While not specifying which platforms would be banned, the Prime Minister said the ban would apply to "certain" popular social media networks, while also allowing parents to grant access to their children from the age of 13. If approved, the policy could take effect as early as next year.

Denmark is not the first country to tighten social media controls for children. Australia has begun implementing a ban on access to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube for those under 16, while Norway is considering raising the minimum age from 13 to 15. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre once called it “a tough fight,” but stressed that governments need to protect children from the manipulative power of algorithms.

Danish Minister for Digitalization Caroline Stage called the move “a necessary breakthrough.” She said: “We have been too naive to allow children’s digital lives to be controlled by platforms that do not care about their mental health. It is time to move from digital confinement to a healthier community.”

According to figures cited by Prime Minister Frederiksen, 60% of Danish children aged 11 to 19 have no close friends to meet in real life, while 94% of seventh-grade students already have social media accounts before the age of 13. She warned: "Mobile phones and social media are stealing children's childhoods."

This announcement comes shortly after the Danish government banned the use of mobile phones in all schools and extracurricular clubs, based on a recommendation from the National Welfare Commission – an agency that argues children under 13 should not own their own smartphones or tablets.

Denmark's move reflects a growing global trend: governments are reconsidering children's access to social media.

In June, Greece called on the European Union to establish a “digital adulthood age,” aimed at preventing children from using social media without parental consent – ​​an effort reflecting growing concerns about the impact of online environments on the mental health of young people.