Denmark is poised to introduce one of Europe’s toughest restrictions on children’s access to social media, after most parties in Parliament signaled support for a nationwide minimum age
requirement of 15. The government announced Friday that it has reached a political agreement to move forward with the measure, though it remains unclear which platforms will ultimately fall under the ban.
The initiative follows Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s warning last month that unregulated access to digital platforms is harming young people’s mental health. In a statement, the Ministry of Digitalization called the move “a groundbreaking step” aimed at shielding minors from harmful content and manipulative design features.
“As a starting point, children under the age of 15 should not have access to platforms that may expose them to harmful content or harmful features,” the ministry said. It noted that platforms most popular among Danish children include Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, but did not confirm whether these would be restricted.
Parents will be able to override the ban and give consent for children as young as 13 to use certain platforms.
New funding for online safety efforts
Alongside the age-limit plan, the government unveiled a package of 14 initiatives totaling 160 million Danish kroner (€21.4 million). The measures aim to strengthen online protections for children and improve digital literacy. They include bolstering enforcement of the EU’s Digital Services Act, funding the development of alternative social platforms, and cracking down on illegal influencer marketing.
A cross-party coalition said the goal is to ensure children “are not left alone in a digital world where harmful content and commercial interests are too much a part of shaping their everyday lives.”
The ministry cited growing evidence that excessive social media use disrupts sleep, reduces concentration, and increases social pressure among youth—problems it said neither parents nor schools can address on their own.
Digitalization Minister Caroline Stage said Denmark is “leading the way in Europe” with the national age limit. “We are taking a necessary stand against a development where large tech platforms have had free rein in children’s rooms for far too long,” she said.
Australia sets the global pace
Denmark’s announcement comes as Australia prepares to implement the world’s first nationwide ban on social media for minors, raising its minimum age to 16 in December. Major platforms—from Facebook and Instagram to TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and YouTube—will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they allow underage users to open accounts.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has previously praised Australia’s approach, calling it a “common sense” model for global regulation.
As governments increasingly scrutinize the impact of digital platforms on children, Denmark now joins a small but growing group of countries testing how far they can go to rein in Big Tech in the name of youth wellbeing.