Denmark (Capital : Copenhagen)
Denmark has announced a political agreement to ban access to social media for anyone aged under 15, a measure aimed at protecting children's mental health from harmful content and commercial interests. The plan has broad political support in the Danish parliament ahead of a formal vote.
Key Details of the Proposal
- Age Limit: The general age limit for accessing social media platforms will be set at 15 years old.
- Parental Consent Exception: Parents will have the option to grant access for children as young as 13 after a "specific assessment".
- Enforcement: The government plans to use the national electronic ID system to enforce the age limit. While tech companies cannot be forced to use Denmark's specific verification app, they will be required to implement "proper age verification." Failure to do so could result in fines of up to 6% of their global income, enforced through the EU Commission under the Digital Services Act.
- Affected Platforms: The government has noted that platforms like Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are popular among Danish children and would be affected by the ban.
- Motivation: Digitalization Minister Caroline Stage Olsen stated the move is necessary because the amount of time children spend online and the exposure to violence and self-harm content present "too great a risk".
This measure is one of the most comprehensive steps by a European Union government to limit youth social media use, following a similar move by Australia, which set a minimum age of 16 for social media access.
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