The Norwegian government plans to introduce a minimum age threshold of 15 for social media use to protect children from harmful content, according to Euractiv.
Lawmakers would amend the country’s Personal Data Act to shield minors from harmful content they might encounter online, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.
Currently, the Act states that you must be 13 years old to consent to the collection and processing of personal data on social media.
We know that this is an uphill battle, because there are strong forces here, but this is also where policy is needed.
According to the Norwegian Media Authority, despite the current 13-year age limit, 53 per cent of 9-year-olds, 58 per cent of 10-year-olds and 72 per cent of 11-year-olds use social media. The government is therefore also keen to consider age verification specifically for social media.
Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe said that such measures would send a clear message to parents, giving them legal means to keep their children away from social media.
“It is also about giving parents the security to say no. We know that many people really want to say no, but don’t feel they can.”
However, the Norwegian government was still looking for an alternative, citing the EU as a possible example, Toppe noted.
The EU is also coming up with some directives that could be a solution.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tasked Commissioner Michael McGrath with proposing a Digital Fairness Act to update consumer protection rules, especially for minors. However, European lawmakers face difficulties in verifying the age of users when accessing digital services.
