The Danish government he decided to set an age limit of 15 for the use of social mediaplacing itself among the strictest European countries in digital regulation. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Digitalisation, aims to protect children from early exposure to harmful content and from the pressure exerted by the platforms’ algorithms.
The parents however, they will be able to authorize their children aged 13 and over to access social mediabut only after a specific evaluation. According to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the measure is a response to the increase in cases of anxiety, insomnia and difficulty concentrating among adolescents, attributed to the abuse of smartphones and social networks.
A necessary step, but there is no shortage of controversy
The political agreement was defined as “one of the most innovative in the European Union” by the Ministry of Digitalization, which underlined how the measure aims to protect “children and young people in a digital world where commercial interests have too much weight”.
However, some opposition parties believe the 15-year limit is too unambitious given the harmful and addictive algorithms of TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. Despite doubts about the application, the Minister of Digitalisation Caroline Stage defended the choice by speaking of a clear line finally drawn.
Denmark follows suit the example of Australiawhich has already approved a total ban on children under 16 years of agewith fines of up to A$50 million for platforms that fail to comply with the law.
Norway and other European countries are also considering similar measures, but the issue remains the same age verificationa critical point for the protection of privacy. The message sent is strong: young people’s mental health comes before digital freedom.
