New rules in Norway and Turkey stop children from using social media
New rules in Norway and Turkey stop children from using social media
Introduction
Many countries are making new laws to stop children from using social media. Norway and Turkey are the newest countries to do this. They worry about children''s health and safety. Tech companies like Meta are adding new tools for parents.
Main Body
On April 24, Norway''s government said it will make a new law. The law will stop children under 16 from using social media. Companies must check users'' ages. The Prime Minister said children should not spend too much time on screens. Some people worry about privacy. In 2026, many children under 13 already use social media. On April 23, Turkey''s parliament passed a new law. It stops children under 15 from using social media. Platforms must check ages and make safe spaces for children. The President said social media is bad for children. In December 2025, Australia stopped children under 16 from using social media. Companies that do not follow the law pay a big fine. Other countries like France, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, India, the UK, and the EU are also making similar rules. Meta added new tools for parents. Parents can see what their children ask the AI. But some people say these tools are not enough. Many children under 13 still use social media. Some people use VPNs to get around the rules. After the UK law, many people started using VPNs.
Conclusion
Many countries are changing rules for children''s social media use. Governments think age limits are important. But there are problems: how to check ages, privacy, and people using VPNs. Tech companies are trying to help, but it is not clear if their tools work.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
Global Legislative Momentum on Social Media Age Restrictions Intensifies with New Measures in Norway and Turkey
Introduction
More and more national governments are passing or proposing laws to limit children''s access to social media. Norway and Turkey are the latest countries to announce such measures. These actions show a broad regulatory response to worries about how social media platforms affect children''s mental health, safety, and development. At the same time, technology companies like Meta are trying to reduce regulatory pressure by offering better parental control tools.
Main Body
On April 24, Norway''s minority Labour government announced that it will present a bill to parliament by the end of 2026. The bill would ban children under 16 from using social media. Under the proposal, technology companies would be responsible for checking users'' ages when they log in. The enforcement system would be linked to the EU-inspired Digital Services Act. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store stated that the law aims to stop childhood from being controlled by algorithms and screens. The government had earlier considered a 15-year age limit based on date of birth, but chose a stricter, uniform system to avoid dividing students within school classes. Norway''s Data Protection Authority has expressed concerns that giving age verification to private companies could harm user privacy. Official figures from Norway''s media regulator show that in 2026, 51% of children aged 9–10 and 74% of those aged 11–12 were active on social platforms, even though the current minimum age is 13. Turkey''s parliament passed a bill on April 23 that includes restricting social media access for children under 15. The law requires platforms to set up age-verification systems and create safe digital spaces for minors, with controlled use encouraged. It also requires platforms with many users to appoint a representative in Turkey. Additionally, game software platforms must now classify games based on users'' age. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 15 days to approve the bill, after which it becomes law. In a televised speech, Erdogan claimed that certain digital sharing applications are corrupting children''s minds and criticized social media platforms as problematic. Australia was the first country to introduce a complete ban on social media for children under 16 in December 2025. The ban covers platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X. Companies that do not follow the rules face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($35.3 million). Following Australia''s lead, several other countries have announced or passed similar restrictions. France''s National Assembly approved a law in January to ban children under 15 from social media, but it still needs Senate approval. Greece will ban access for children under 15 from January 2027. Denmark announced a ban for children under 15, with parental consent possible for those aged 13 and above. Spain will ban access for minors under 16 and require age-verification systems. Indonesia and Malaysia have restricted access for children under 16, with Indonesia gradually deactivating accounts on high-risk platforms. Brazil''s Digital Statute, effective March 2025, requires minors under 16 to link accounts to a legal guardian and bans addictive features like infinite scroll. In India, the state of Karnataka banned social media for children under 16 in March, and the national chief economic adviser called for age restrictions, describing platforms as ''predatory.'' The United Kingdom is considering an Australia-style ban and testing curfews and time limits in 300 households. The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution in November calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media and harmonized EU digital age limits. In response to this regulatory trend, Meta has announced updates to its Teen Accounts feature. These include a new Insights tab for parents in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Brazil that shows topics their teen has asked Meta AI about. The company also introduced a content filter based on 13+ movie ratings and default restrictions on following accounts that share age-inappropriate content. Meta acknowledged that no system is perfect and asked for continued parental feedback. However, child protection advocates argue that existing controls are still not enough. They point to official data from several European countries showing that many children under 13 have social media accounts. Furthermore, there are concerns about users bypassing restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs). After the UK''s Online Safety Act, Proton VPN reported a 1,400% hourly increase in new registrations, and NordVPN reported a 1,000% rise in subscriptions from UK users. In Australia, daily active VPN sessions peaked at 1.32 million after age restrictions were implemented.
Conclusion
The global regulatory environment for children''s social media access is changing quickly, with many countries introducing new laws. While governments increasingly see age-based restrictions as a necessary step, challenges remain. These include effective enforcement, privacy concerns related to mandatory age verification, and the possibility that users may find ways to bypass restrictions using technology. At the same time, technology companies are adapting their platforms to keep parents'' trust, but whether these measures are effective is still being debated.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
Global Legislative Momentum on Social Media Age Restrictions Intensifies with New Measures in Norway and Turkey
Introduction
A growing number of national governments are enacting or proposing legislation to restrict social media access for minors, with Norway and Turkey the most recent jurisdictions to announce such measures. These actions reflect a widespread regulatory response to concerns about the impact of social media platforms on children''s mental health, safety, and development. Concurrently, technology companies such as Meta are attempting to mitigate regulatory pressure by introducing enhanced parental supervision tools.
Main Body
Norway’s minority Labour government announced on April 24 that it will present a bill to parliament by the end of 2026 to prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media. Under the proposal, technology companies would bear responsibility for verifying users’ ages at login, with enforcement mechanisms linked to the EU-inspired Digital Services Act framework. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store stated that the legislation aims to prevent childhood from being dominated by algorithms and screens. The government previously considered a 15-year age limit based on date of birth but opted for a stricter, uniform system to avoid social divisions within school classes. Norway’s Data Protection Authority has expressed concerns that delegating age verification to private companies could undermine user privacy. Official figures from Norway’s media regulator indicate that 51% of children aged 9–10 and 74% of those aged 11–12 were active on social platforms in 2026, despite a current minimum age of 13. Turkey’s parliament passed a bill on April 23 that includes restricting social media access for children under the age of 15. The legislation mandates that platforms implement age-verification systems and create secure digital spaces for minors, with controlled use encouraged. It also requires platforms with a high number of users to appoint a representative in Turkey and brings game software platforms under the regulatory scope, obliging them to classify games based on users’ age criteria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 15 days to approve the bill, after which it becomes law. In a televised address, Erdogan characterized certain digital sharing applications as corrupting children’s minds and described social media platforms as problematic. Australia became the first country to implement a comprehensive ban on social media for children under 16 in December 2025, covering platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X. Non-compliant companies face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($35.3 million). Following Australia’s lead, several other nations have announced or enacted similar restrictions. France’s National Assembly approved legislation in January to ban children under 15 from social media, pending Senate approval. Greece will ban access for children under 15 from January 2027. Denmark announced a ban for children under 15, with parental consent possible for those aged 13 and above. Spain will ban access for minors under 16 and require age-verification systems. Indonesia and Malaysia have restricted access for children under 16, with Indonesia gradually deactivating accounts on high-risk platforms. Brazil’s Digital Statute, effective March 2025, requires minors under 16 to link accounts to a legal guardian and bans addictive features like infinite scroll. In India, the state of Karnataka banned social media for children under 16 in March, and the national chief economic adviser called for age restrictions, describing platforms as “predatory.” The United Kingdom is considering an Australia-style ban and testing curfews and time limits in 300 households. The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution in November calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media and harmonized EU digital age limits. In response to the regulatory trend, Meta has announced updates to its Teen Accounts proposition, including a new Insights tab for parents in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Brazil that shows topics their teen has asked Meta AI about. The company also introduced a content filter inspired by 13+ movie ratings and default restrictions on following accounts that share age-inappropriate content. Meta acknowledged that no system is perfect and requested continued parental feedback. However, child protection advocates argue that existing controls remain insufficient, noting that official data in several European countries shows large numbers of children under 13 maintain social media accounts. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the potential for circumvention via virtual private networks (VPNs). Following the UK’s Online Safety Act, Proton VPN reported a 1,400% hourly increase in new registrations, and NordVPN reported a 1,000% rise in subscriptions from UK users. In Australia, daily active VPN sessions peaked at 1.32 million after age restrictions were implemented.
Conclusion
The global regulatory landscape for children’s social media access is undergoing rapid transformation, with legislative momentum building across multiple jurisdictions. While governments increasingly view age-based restrictions as a necessary intervention, challenges persist regarding effective enforcement, privacy implications of mandatory age verification, and the potential for users to circumvent restrictions through technological means. Technology companies are simultaneously adapting their platforms to retain parental trust, though the efficacy of these measures remains subject to ongoing debate.