Denmark is positioning itself at the forefront of European digital protection efforts by proposing groundbreaking legislation to ban social media access for children under 15. The initiative, which follows Australia’s recent implementation of similar restrictions, has gained cross-party parliamentary support and could become law by mid-2026.
Danish Digital Affairs Minister Caroline Stage articulated the government’s rationale, drawing an analogy to nighttime entertainment venues: “When we go into the city at night, there are bouncers checking ages. In the digital world, we don’t have any bouncers, and we definitely need that.” The minister emphasized that social media platforms have enjoyed “free play in the playing rooms of our children” for too long without adequate limits.
The proposed legislation would represent the most comprehensive social media restrictions implemented by any European Union nation. While some parents may obtain permission for children as young as 13 to access platforms, the core ban would affect the approximately 98% of Danish children under 13 who currently maintain social media profiles despite existing platform age restrictions.
Enforcement mechanisms would center around a new “digital evidence” application scheduled for launch next spring. This government-developed app would display age certificates to ensure compliance with social media age limits, addressing the widespread circumvention of current verification systems.
Reactions among Danish youth reflect mixed perspectives. Fifteen-year-old Ronja Zander expressed concern about losing contact with online-only friends, while 14-year-old Chloé Courage Fjelstrup-Matthisen acknowledged the negative impacts, having witnessed graphic violent content on social platforms. Parental support appears strong, with one mother noting, “We didn’t really realize what we were doing when we gave our children the telephone and social media from when they were eight, 10 years old.”
Academic experts voice reservations about the democratic implications. University of Copenhagen associate professor Anne Mette Thorhauge warned that such restrictions might infringe on children’s rights, noting that “social media, to many children, is what broadcast media was to my generation—a way of connecting to society.”
Denmark joins a growing international movement, with Malaysia planning similar restrictions for 2025 and Norway considering comparable measures. China has already implemented strict limits on online gaming and smartphone usage for minors. The European Union’s Digital Services Act, while requiring parental controls and age verification tools, has faced enforcement challenges across member states.