Валентин Шнайдер That's Life 8 November 2025, 13:15

Danish government prepares social media ban for teenagers under 15

Denmark’s government and opposition coalition have agreed on a political decision to restrict teenagers' access to social platforms, setting a minimum age of 15.

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Danish government prepares social media ban for teenagers under 15

Denmark’s government and opposition coalition have agreed on a political decision to restrict teenagers' access to social platforms, setting a minimum age of 15.

According to Engadget, the agreement was reached by MPs from different political camps: from the right to the left. The Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs must determine which platforms the restriction will apply to, while also working out a method for age verification. The government explains the step by the consequences for the health of adolescents: sleep disturbance, loss of concentration and increased psychological pressure in digital interactions where adults are not always present. Minister of Digitalization Caroline Stege emphasizes that the country is «drawing a line» and setting a clear course.

So far, this is not about the current law, but about an inter-party agreement that paves the way for a bill. The most sensitive issue here is age verification. Models based on state IDs or selfie verification are being discussed, but both approaches have risks: collecting and storing documents and biometrics of minors, possible leaks, as well as barriers for bona fide users.

The global context adds to the urgency of the issue. Last year, Australia passed a law banning social media for children under 16, arguably one of the toughest regulations against big tech. The European agenda is also changing, with regulators looking for a way to balance the protection of minors, minimization of data collection, and freedom of information.

The debate about the harm of social media for teenagers has been going on for years and covers addiction, cyberbullying, the impact of algorithms on attention and the psyche. The Danish initiative could become a test for the whole of Europe: if they find a working balance between security and privacy, other countries will get a ready-made model; if the verification mechanism causes resistance, regulation will return to the courts and pilots.

Previously, dev.ua wrote about how the US is preparing strict rules for generative services: the GUARD bill requires platforms to block access to AI chatbots to anyone under 18 and forces service operators to verify the age of each user. Chatbots must also regularly report that they are not human and cannot pretend to be human.