KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Denmark is set to ban social media use for children under the age of 15, following Australia’s world-first legislation targeting platforms for under-16s.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Tuesday that the government would introduce the ban, while allowing parents to permit children as young as 13 to use social media, ABC news, an Australian news outlet said.
"The cell phone and social media are robbing our children of their childhood," Frederiksen said, highlighting concerns over the impact of digital platforms on youth wellbeing.
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Details on which platforms will be included in the ban, and how it will be implemented, are yet to be clarified.
According to the Danish Wellbeing Commission, 94 per cent of young people in Denmark had social media profiles before turning 13, despite age restrictions on most platforms. Frederiksen also noted that 60 per cent of Danish boys aged 11 to 19 prefer staying home over spending time with friends.
In Australia, all children under 16 will be prohibited from using platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, TikTok, X, and Reddit starting December 10. The federal government says the ban aims to protect the mental health and wellbeing of children and limit exposure to harmful content, according to agencies.
Social media companies will be required to block under-16s from creating accounts and deactivate existing accounts of underage users. However, experts warn that age verification systems, including facial recognition technology, can be bypassed. Creative workarounds, such as masks costing around $22, have already been demonstrated. Companies failing to enforce the ban could face fines of up to $50 million, though children and their families will not be penalised.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently presented the government’s plan to foreign leaders at a New York event during the UN General Assembly. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Australia’s move, calling it “bold” and “plain common sense.” "We in Europe are watching and will be learning from you … it is up to us to step up for the next generation," she added.
Other European countries are also exploring measures to limit social media use among teenagers, signalling a growing international focus on the wellbeing of young digital users.
