Norway proposes raising social media age limit to 15 backed by age verification system

The Norwegian government has unveiled a proposal to increase the minimum age for social media use to 15, in a move that proposes to alter the Personal Data Act, with the aim of safeguarding children from harmful online content. The move, reported by the newspaper VG, is part of a wider effort to address concerns about the influence of tech giants on young users and their data.

Additionally, the government will implement an age verification system to ensure compliance with the new rules.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the significance of the change, stating: “These are big tech giants pitted against the brains of small children. We know that this is an uphill battle, because there are strong forces here, but it is also where politics is needed.”

Currently, children aged 13 or older can legally consent to share their personal data with social media platforms, but the government plans to raise the age of consent to 15 to better protect minors. This would not only apply to social media but also other services that collect personal data, such as Netflix and other streaming subscriptions.

The government’s proposal will soon be submitted for consultation, with the aim of passing it through parliament as quickly as possible. There is already parliamentary backing for an age limit on social media, but enforcing these rules may be challenging.

Norway has been considering stricter digital regulations for some time.

In the country, stringent regulations govern age verification for purchasing age-restricted products like alcohol, tobacco, and over-the-counter medicine. To legally access these products, individuals must verify their age both in-person and online. Physical IDs are used for face-to-face transactions, while online verification typically relies on BankID, the nation’s digital identity system, Criipto highlights in a blog. For social media, BankID will play a key role in the Norwegian identity verification strategy as the digital ID system becomes available on smartphones.

Criipto was acquired by the parent company of Norwegian BankID, which oversees Norway’s digital identity infrastructure.

The digital identity provider is one of the firms at the forefront of Norway’s exploration of privacy-preserving age verification methods. While Norway has shown interest in digital identity tools, implementing them for social media use has encountered mixed reactions due to concerns over potential privacy issues and technical limitations recently spoke at the Authenticate 2024 conference, sharing insights into digital security and highlighting the importance of secure identification technology in protecting minors from online threats like phishing.

Global trends in age verification

Norway’s proposed age limit aligns with a broader global push for stricter age verification measures across digital platforms. Countries like France, the U.S. (including states like Utah and Florida), and Australia are also introducing regulations that aim to protect minors from accessing inappropriate content and ensure safer online environments.

France and Utah are exploring age verification for social media users, while Florida has gone further, banning social media for users under 14 and requiring age verification for adult content sites. Australia, meanwhile, has extended its age verification trial for pornographic websites to cover social media platforms as well.

Article Topics

age verification  |  children  |  Criipto  |  digital identity  |  Norway  |  regulation  |  social media