Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Tuesday that Denmark will ban the use of social media for children under the age of 15. She emphasized that mobile phones and social networks are “stealing childhood from minors.”
Frederiksen presented the proposal in the Danish parliament, expressing concern over the growing number of anxiety and depression cases among children. According to her, social media is a “monster” that has been allowed to act freely.
She did not specify which platforms will be affected by the ban but stated that several social networks will be included. Frederiksen added that parents will have the option to grant permission for their children to use social media from the age of 13.
The ban is expected to come into effect next year. The decision follows Australia’s example, which introduced an age restriction for users under 16 on platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Similarly, Norway has announced plans to raise the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 15.
