Norway to raise minimum age for social media use to 15 to protect children

In a bold move, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has announced that the government will step in more deeply into the technology sector to protect children. He acknowledges that confronting big tech companies will be a challenge, but believes the government has an obligation to act to protect the younger generation from the potential harms of social media.

The Labour leader has warned that social media platforms are being used to manipulate users. Unchecked use of algorithms and data analytics can lead to excessive personalisation of content, exposing users to information that suits their personal preferences, reducing diversity of thought and limiting access to different views.

Although Norway has set a minimum age limit for social media use at 13, the law is not effectively enforced. Recent studies by the Norwegian media have revealed an alarming situation, according to which more than half of 9-year-olds, 58% of 10-year-olds and even 72% of 11-year-olds have used social media platforms.

Faced with the growing illegal use of social media by children, the government has pledged to strengthen protection measures. Specifically, the government will amend the Personal Data Act, requiring social media users to be 15 years old or older to consent to the collection and processing of personal information by these platforms. At the same time, age verification barriers will be built to prevent children under 15 from creating accounts and accessing inappropriate content.

Speaking to Norwegian newspaper VG on October 23, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the new regulation sends a strong message: "Children must be protected from harmful content on social media."

He acknowledges that social media can be a place for lonely young people to turn. But he warns that having algorithms dictate how we interact online can have the opposite effect. Rather than creating deeper relationships, too much social media can make us feel lonelier and deprive us of real-life interactions.

Norway's Minister for Children and Families, Kjersti Toppe, has said that the stricter rules on children's social media use are not only to protect children, but also to support parents. "We understand that many parents find it difficult to limit their children's time on social media. Therefore, the government wants to provide parents with a 'common language' that makes it easier for them to set the necessary limits," she said.

The government is looking at ways to enforce restrictions without interfering with human rights, such as requiring people to open bank accounts, she said.

Australia has also announced a ban on social media for teenagers and young children. The Australian government is considering setting a minimum age, expected to be between 14 and 16 years old, to limit children’s exposure to digital platforms. This is expected to help protect children from the negative effects of social media.

Meanwhile, France is conducting a promising experiment to reduce students' dependence on mobile phones. Specifically, French schools will ban students under 15 from bringing phones to class. If the experiment is successful, the French government plans to implement the ban nationwide by January next year.