The Norwegian government will proceed with its plans to restrict children’s access to social media after receiving positive feedback from the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority (ESA).
Under the proposed law, people would be allowed to access social media from January 1 of the calendar year in which they turn 16, according to a recent government press release.
“We are safeguarding children’s digital lives and will introduce an age limit for the use of social media,” Minister of Children and Families Lene Vagslid said, adding that feedback from the European Commission and ESA had been positive and useful.
Norway plans to enforce the national age limit within the framework of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), under which social media platforms would be responsible for verifying users’ ages.
The government received feedback from ESA on August 5 and from the European Commission on August 10. According to the release, neither the EU’s e-Commerce Directive nor the DSA prevents Norway from adopting a national age limit, provided that the legislation does not impose additional obligations on social media providers.
The government aims to submit the bill to the Norwegian parliament before the end of this year.
The proposal forms part of a broader government effort to improve children’s digital environment, including recommendations to reduce screen time and smartphone use, strengthen oversight of digital marketing targeting children and discourage the use of cellphones and smartwatches in schools.
Norway is not an EU member but participates in the EU single market through the European Economic Area.
- The Norwegian government plans to introduce a national age limit restricting social media access to individuals from January 1 of the year they turn 16.
- Positive feedback regarding the proposed law was received from the European Commission on August 10 and from the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority (ESA) on August 5.
- The age verification responsibility will lie with social media platforms under the enforcement framework of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
- Norwegian legislation does not contravene the EU's e-Commerce Directive or the DSA, as long as it doesn't impose extra obligations on social media providers.
- The bill is expected to be submitted to the Norwegian parliament before the end of the year as part of a broader effort to improve children's digital environments.
