Denmark to ban social media for children under 15

Children with a smartphone. Illustrative photo: european conservative

In October 2025, the Danish government announced that it is preparing a law that would ban children under 15 from using social media. The European Conservative reported the development.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen presented the initiative at the opening of the autumn parliamentary session, noting that social media negatively affects adolescents’ psychological well-being. “The cell phone and social media are robbing our children of their childhood," Frederiksen stated.

According to him, the digital environment deprives young people of normal interpersonal interaction: statistics show that most Danish boys aged 11–19 prefer staying at home over spending time with friends.

Under the proposed legislation, parents would be allowed to grant permission for their children to use social media starting at age 13. Despite the announced plans, the exact parameters of the future ban have not yet been defined: authorities have not clarified which platforms will fall under the restrictions or how the law will be implemented.

Denmark joins a growing list of countries tightening online-access rules for minors. Australia is preparing a law that would completely prohibit children under 16 from registering on social media, Greece automatically blocks access to platforms for those under 16, and France is considering a total ban up to age 15 along with a “digital curfew” for teenagers.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Malaysia will ban social media for children under 16.

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