Denmark has announced plans to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, in a bid to protect childhood and improve mental health among young people.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen unveiled the proposal during her address to parliament at the opening of its autumn session.
While the government has yet to specify which platforms will be affected or how the ban will be enforced, the announcement has sparked widespread debate across Europe.
“The cell phone and social media are robbing our children of their childhood,” Frederiksen told lawmakers, citing studies that show rising social isolation among Danish youth.
She noted that 60 percent of boys aged 11 to 19 now prefer staying home over meeting friends in person, a trend she attributed to the dominance of digital platforms.
Under the proposed law, parents may grant limited access to children aged 13 under certain conditions.
The legislation is part of Denmark’s broader strategy to tackle mental health challenges and online harms among minors.
Denmark joins a growing list of countries seeking to regulate children’s access to social media.
Australia introduced a national ban for under-16s in late 2024, while Greece proposed an “age of digital adulthood” across the European Union in June 2025.
Though no timeline has been confirmed, experts say Denmark’s move could influence other EU nations to adopt similar restrictions.
