Norway is preparing new rules that could block children under 16 from using social media.
Norway said it will present a bill to parliament by the end of the year that would ban children from using social media until they turn 16.
The proposed law would place responsibility on technology companies to verify users’ ages and prevent underage access.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the goal is to protect childhood from being dominated by screens and algorithms.
“We want a childhood where children get to be children,” he said in a government statement.
Officials have not yet confirmed which platforms would be covered. Similar laws in other countries have targeted apps such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, Snap Inc.’s Snapchat, Google’s YouTube, and X.
Norway joins a growing number of European countries seeking stricter controls on children’s use of social media.
The move follows Australia, which introduced a world-first ban on social media access for under-16s last December.
Supporters argue the rules can reduce online harm, addiction, and mental health risks for young users. Critics, however, question enforcement and privacy concerns around age checks.
If passed, Norway’s law would mark one of Europe’s strongest steps yet to reshape how children access the digital world.
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