Denmark is preparing to introduce a national age limit for social media use, aiming to protect children from the potentially harmful impacts of digital platforms. The government announced on Friday that it has reached an agreement to set 15 as the minimum age for creating accounts on certain social networks, unless parents provide consent for earlier access.
The decision comes amid growing debates across Europe and beyond over how social media affects the mental health, behavior, and daily lives of young people. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen raised the issue in her opening speech to Parliament last month, urging lawmakers to take action to reduce what she described as unhealthy digital pressures on children. The proposal has since received support from a majority of parties in the Danish Parliament.
In a formal statement, Denmark’s Digitalization Ministry emphasized the significance of the move.
“As one of the first countries in the EU, Denmark is now taking a groundbreaking step towards introducing age limits on social media,” the statement said. “This is done to protect children and young people in the digital world.”
New Rules Aim to Limit Exposure to Harmful Online Experiences
The core purpose of the new age restriction is to reduce youths’ exposure to inappropriate, harmful, or highly addictive online environments. Many children today begin using social media before they fully understand how content is curated or how advertising and social comparison influence behavior. Officials say this contributes to rising concerns about anxiety, disrupted sleep, low self-esteem, and increased pressure to perform or present a certain image online.
The Digitalization Ministry noted that the policy is rooted in preventing these kinds of experiences, especially during early adolescence, a developmental stage that experts describe as particularly sensitive to social feedback and digital influence.
“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 stated.
However, the plan does leave room for parental judgment. Families will have the option to allow children as young as 13 to join social media platforms, provided parents explicitly give their consent.
Notably, the government has not yet named the specific platforms affected nor explained in detail how age verification will work. Those guidelines will be outlined as the policy moves closer to being implemented.
Investments to Support Safer Digital Spaces
Along with the age-limit measure, the government will invest 160 million Danish kroner (about €21.4 million / $24.8 million) in programs designed to support healthier digital environments for young users. Fourteen initiatives are included in the funding plan.
Among the goals are:
- Strengthening enforcement mechanisms under the EU Digital Services Act, which holds online platforms responsible for harmful content.
- Supporting the creation of alternative social media platforms oriented toward child safety and emotional wellbeing.
- Enhancing measures to prevent illegal or manipulative advertising, especially by influencers who may target younger audiences.
The government argues that digital safety cannot be left solely to parents or schools. Lawmakers backing the agreement said it reflects the belief that society has a responsibility to create safer online structures for children.
The ministry noted that increasing numbers of young people are experiencing emotional pressure linked to their digital lives.
“Children and young people have their sleep disrupted, lose their peace and concentration, and experience increasing pressure from digital relationships where adults are not always present,” the statement said. “This is a development that no parent, teacher or educator can stop alone.”
Denmark Seeks to Lead Digital Protection Efforts in Europe
Denmark’s Digitalization Minister, Caroline Stage, emphasized that the country is positioning itself at the forefront of child digital protection policies in the EU.
“Denmark is now leading the way in Europe with a national age limit for social media and a concerted effort to strengthen the digital wellbeing of children and young people,” Stage stated.
She added that the government is taking steps to push back against the influence of major tech platforms in children’s daily lives.
“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.”
