‘SNS Is Harmful’... Denmark Bans Use by Children Under 15

Denmark has decided to ban children under the age of 15 from using social networking services (SNS) for protective purposes. However, since a related bill needs to be prepared, it is expected to take some time before the measure is actually implemented.

According to the Associated Press on November 8 (local time), Karoline Stær, Denmark’s Minister for Digital Government, stated, "Ninety-four percent of Danish children under the age of 13 have at least one SNS profile, and more than half of them are under 10 years old." She added, "The amount of time children spend online and the harmful content they encounter there pose significant risks."

Minister Stær explained the background behind pursuing this policy, saying, "Despite having enormous financial resources, major tech companies are unwilling to invest in the safety of our children. Now, we must take the wheel ourselves to ensure a safe future for our children."

The ban on SNS use for those under 15 will be implemented by establishing electronic identification and age verification applications. In Denmark, most people over the age of 13 possess an electronic ID issued by the government. Minister Stær said, "We cannot force major tech companies to use the app we create," but emphasized, "We can require them to establish appropriate age verification procedures, and if they fail to comply, they could face fines of up to 6% of their global revenue through the European Union Commission."

However, Minister Stær added, "We will move quickly with these measures, but we must establish regulations to prevent major tech companies from circumventing them," noting, "We will not proceed too hastily."

Countries around the world are seeking ways to restrict SNS use by teenagers and children. Two years ago, the European Union enacted the Digital Services Act (DSA), which prohibits children under 13 from having SNS accounts such as TikTok or Instagram. In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to pass a law banning SNS use by children under 16. In Australia, SNS platforms that fail to prevent children under 16 from having accounts may be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars (approximately 4.73 billion won).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.