Denmark will require minors to reach age 15 before independently creating accounts on designated social media services, making it the first European Union member state to establish such restrictions. Digitalisation Minister Caroline Stage characterized the multi-party measure as setting clear boundaries for protecting young people's mental health and development.
The policy permits 13- and 14-year-olds to access platforms if parents grant explicit permission. Lawmakers cited research showing that 60 percent of Danish boys rarely socialize with peers outside educational settings and that psychiatric diagnoses affect 15 percent of adolescents before adulthood. The framework incorporates monitoring requirements for harmful content and advertising practices targeting children.
Implementation will align with European Digital Services Act provisions mandating age verification systems and parental oversight tools on major platforms. Amnesty International recently documented how algorithms on applications like TikTok exposed vulnerable users to material promoting self-harm and depression.
The policy permits 13- and 14-year-olds to access platforms if parents grant explicit permission. Lawmakers cited research showing that 60 percent of Danish boys rarely socialize with peers outside educational settings and that psychiatric diagnoses affect 15 percent of adolescents before adulthood. The framework incorporates monitoring requirements for harmful content and advertising practices targeting children.
Implementation will align with European Digital Services Act provisions mandating age verification systems and parental oversight tools on major platforms. Amnesty International recently documented how algorithms on applications like TikTok exposed vulnerable users to material promoting self-harm and depression.
