Norway to ban social media for under-16s by end of 2026

Following child safety concerns and social media ban for teens Norway has also announced to restrict social media for under-16.

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.

It comes as several European nations are imposinng restrictions for children's use of social media after Australia took the lead with a world-first ban on under-16s last December.

"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.

"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."

The government did not say which applications would be targeted as 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.

YouTube in a statement on Friday said it had invested for over a decade in children's safety to ensure its platforms deliver age-appropriate experiences that also empower parents.

"That way, we preserve access to learning for millions and avoid pushing young people onto less safe places on the internet," the company said.

UK this week announced for complete mobile phones bans for under-16 in schools.

Notably, as per the the minority Labour government Norway will introduce its social media restriction bill for teens in parliament by the end of 2026.