Denmark is about to take a major step in the area of digital child protection. On Friday, the government in Copenhagen announced a political agreement on a bill that would ban access to social networking sites by those under 15; if passed by parliament, it would be one of the most sweeping such measures in Europe, AP pointed out.
The government said the reason for this proposal is the increased risk associated with excessive social networking among children - in particular, an increase in anxiety, depression and concentration problems. Digital Minister Caroline Stage reported that 94 % Danish children under the age of 13 are said to have an account on at least one social network. The government's statement said it was trying to „giving children back their childhood“ and give parents and schools better tools to control the digital environment.
The details of the proposal remain vague for now. The government proposes that the age limit of 15 would apply to „certain“ social networks, with specific platforms not yet listed. However, parents would be able to grant an exemption for children aged 13 to 14 subject to special consideration. The law would build on an existing national electronic identification system to verify the age of users, and a special app is planned.
Critics point out that the technical and legal feasibility of such a ban is highly complex. For example, children often use shared devices or accounts, so age-blocks can be circumvented - plus many platforms operate internationally, making enforcement difficult.
Denmark's move follows similar initiatives elsewhere in the world - for example, Australia has introduced a ban on the use of social networking sites for children under 16. In the context of the European Union, it is important that most platforms already comply with the minimum age of 13 set by the Directive, but the Danish proposal would move significantly higher.
What can we expect now? The bill will have to pass through parliament. The debate is expected to be intense, including debates on the balance between child protection, freedom of expression, privacy and the technical limits of law enforcement. If passed, the key will be how technology companies respond and how the age verification system works in practice.
Overall, this is a bold move that can change the way children approach the digital environment - but success will depend on concrete implementation, legal safeguards, technical solutions and collaboration with large technology companies.
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