Denmark plans social media ban for children under 15

On October 7, Denmark announced plans to introduce a social media ban for children under the age of 15, according to media reports. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen did not specify which platforms would be affected or how the policy would be implemented in practice.

The proposed legislation would allow parental consent for children aged 13 and above to access social media.

Denmark's announcement follows similar moves by other countries to tighten regulations around children's online safety. In 2024, Australia’s centre-left government introduced one of the world’s toughest proposed laws to restrict social media use for minors. The bill aimed to ban social media access for children under 16, with no exceptions for parental consent or existing accounts.

Under the Australian proposal, social media companies could face fines of up to A$49.5 million (USD 32 million) for failing to comply with strict age-verification rules. The law also called for a trial of age-verification systems, which could involve biometric data or government-issued identification, to prevent underage users from bypassing restrictions.

If passed, both Denmark and Australia would be among the first countries to enforce such strict regulatory controls on children’s access to social media, raising significant questions about privacy, enforcement, and the role of tech platforms in child safety.

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