Denmark proposes social media ban for under-15s - as PM hits out at 'monster'

The Danish authorities is proposing a prohibition connected respective societal media apps for under-15s, according to the country's premier minister.

"We person unleashed a monster," Mette Frederiksen told Denmark's parliament connected Tuesday.

"Mobile phones and societal media are stealing our children's childhood."

Research published by Denmark's wellbeing committee earlier this twelvemonth recovered 94% of the country's young radical had a social media illustration earlier they turned 13 - contempt that being the minimum property for galore societal media platforms.

It besides recovered 9 to 14-year-olds were spending an mean of 3 hours a time connected TikTok and YouTube.

Ms Frederiksen did not springiness details connected however a prohibition would beryllium enforced - an contented Australia is grappling with - but determination is immoderate nationalist enactment for her proposal.

In 2024, immoderate 50,000 radical successful Denmark signed a petition calling for a prohibition connected TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.

Parents should beryllium capable to springiness support for their children to person accounts from the property of 13, according to Ms Frederiksen.

Earlier this year, the Danish authorities besides announced it would prohibition mobile phones successful schools and after-school clubs, meaning that astir each children aged betwixt 7 and 16-17 volition beryllium required by instrumentality not to bring their phones into school.

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Denmark's restrictions travel akin moves astir the world.

In the UK, net and societal media companies present look fines of up to 10% of gross if they let young users to spot harmful content, nether sweeping authorities wherever property restrictions were placed connected big content.

The UK authorities has besides refused to regularisation retired an all-out prohibition connected under-16s connected societal media.

In Australia, under-16s volition beryllium banned from December, with the logistics of the prohibition presently being worked out.

A caller survey showed that a akin strategy to the UK's property verification could enforce the prohibition successful the country.

In France, a parliamentary committee recommended past period that children nether 15 should beryllium banned from societal media successful the state and determination should beryllium an overnight "digital curfew" for 15-18 twelvemonth olds.