The Norwegian Government has said it wants to raise the age limit for social media used by teens in the country through an amendment of its Personal Data Act.
In Norway, the act means users must be at least 13 years old to consent to social media collecting personal data.
The government said it now wanted to change that age limit to 15 years but parents would still be able to consent for children younger than that.
Initially, the amendment of the act would concern data privacy but the government said it “will send a clear signal that children under the age of 15 should not use social media”.
In a press release on October 23, the Norwegian Government argued the proposed new legislation stemmed from its concerns about children’s well-being.
“Half of today’s 9-year-olds are on social media, and I share the concern that this can be harmful to children. We know that many parents find it difficult to avoid their children being on social media when so many other children are,” said Minister for Children and Family Affairs Kjersti Toppe.
“Parents cannot stand alone in the face of the technology giants. That is why we are considering stricter legislation,” she added.
Her plea was echoed by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in the country’s media.
“It sends quite a strong signal. Children must be protected from harmful content on social media,” Støre told Norwegian media outlet Verdens Gang on October 23.
“These are big tech giants pitted against small children’s brains. We know that this is an uphill battle, because there are strong forces here, but it is also where politics is needed,” he added.
According to Toppe, Norway is set to promote the idea in the European Union. Norway is not a member of the EU, but it is a member of the European Single Market.
“Parents cannot stand alone in the face of the technology giants. That is why we are considering stricter legislation,” she said.
“At the same time, the government is strengthening its supervision and information work for children’s digital upbringing, and will promote Norway’s views in ongoing processes in the EU on, among other things, systems for age verification.”
The EU already regulates tech giants under the Digital Services Act.
Many social media companies have been under investigation by the European Commission for allegedly failing to prevent addictive behaviour among users.
