Finance
Norway Government Plans Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 24, 2026
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Norway’s Labour government, led by PM Jonas Gahr Støre, plans to ban use of social media by children under 16, shifting responsibility to platforms to verify age. A bill is expected to reach parliament by end of 2026, aiming to protect children’s digital development.
Norway plans to ban social media use by children under 16
Norway's Proposed Social Media Ban for Children
OSLO, April 24 (Reuters) - Norway said on Friday it would present a bill in parliament by year-end to ban children from using social media until they turn 16, making technology companies responsible for the task of age verification.
European and Global Context
Several European nations seeking to rein in children's use of social media after Australia took the lead with a world-first ban on under-16s last December.
Government's Rationale
"We are introducing this legislation because we want a childhood where children get to be children," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement.
Protecting Childhood and Digital Wellbeing
"Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens. This is an important measure to safeguard children's digital lives."
Scope of the Ban
The government did not say which applications would be targeted.
Comparison to Australia's Ban
Australia's ban covers Meta apps such as Instagram and Facebook as well as TikTok, Snapchat, Google's YouTube and Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter.
Legislative Timeline
Norway will introduce its bill in parliament by the end of 2026, the minority Labour government said.
(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Essi Lehto and Clarence Fernandez)
Key Takeaways
- •The proposed ban targets under‑16s and requires technology companies to implement robust age‑verification systems to ensure compliance
- •This marks a significant shift in digital youth protection policy in Norway and aligns with broader Nordic and EU efforts to set age limits for social media use (regjeringen.no)
- •Norwegian public support is strong: 75 % back electronic age verification and 60 % believe government — not platforms or parents — should set age limits (regjeringen.no)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Norway government plans social media ban for children under 16
1What is Norway proposing regarding social media use for children?
Norway's government plans to ban social media use for children under 16 and make tech companies responsible for verifying users' ages.
2Who will be responsible for age verification under the new law?
Technology companies will be made responsible for age verification of young users.
3When will Norway introduce this social media ban to parliament?
The government plans to introduce the bill to parliament by the end of 2026.
4Why is Norway introducing this ban?
The government wants to safeguard children's digital lives, ensuring childhood is not overshadowed by algorithms and screens.
5Who announced the proposed legislation in Norway?
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere announced the proposal in a government statement.
