The Norwegian government plans to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media and other digital platforms that may threaten their safety and development. TikTok, Snapchat and Roblox could be among the restrictions.
Reuters reports this.
In April, Norway announced that it would submit a bill to parliament by the end of the year to ban social media for children under 16. Now, the government has clarified that the restrictions will apply not only to social media, but also to gaming and communication platforms if they pose a risk to children.
Minister for Children and Family Affairs Lene Vogsled explained that these are platforms where children may encounter harmful content, addictive features, illegal advertising or unwanted contacts with strangers.
The government plans to pass the law to encourage technology companies to remove dangerous content and features that encourage users to spend more time on their platforms. The government plans to put the responsibility for verifying the age of users on the companies themselves.
At the same time, children and teenagers will be allowed to use messengers and games that the government deems safe. The final list of platforms that will be subject to the restrictions has not yet been made public.
Social media restrictions for children
In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under the age of 16. The countryʼs authorities explained their decision by saying that social media can harm children — for example, affecting their physical and mental health.
Spain also wants to ban social media for children under 16. And Ireland has launched a test phase of a digital wallet with an age verification function, which should limit teenagersʼ access to social media. Greece has said it will ban access to social media for children under 15 from 2027.
In September this year, the European Commission presented the EU KIDS Act, a draft law on childrenʼs online safety. It stipulates that children under the age of 13 will not be able to use social networks. It will now be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
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