Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre admitted enforcing the new age limit would be "an uphill battle", but insisted politicians must intervene to protect children from the "power of algorithms".

0q68yibr.png
The Norwegian government has pledged to introduce more measures to prevent children from circumventing age restrictions on social media. Photo: Alamy

The country currently sets the minimum age for social media use at 13. However, according to research by regulators, more than half of 9-year-olds, 58% of 10-year-olds and 72% of 11-year-olds are still using social media.

The government has pledged to introduce stricter measures to prevent children from circumventing age restrictions, including amending the Personal Data Act to require that only users aged 15 and above can have their personal information processed by platforms, and social networks must develop age verification tools.

Speaking to VG on October 23, the Prime Minister said the new regulation sends a strong message: “children must be protected from harmful content on social networks.”

While admitting that social media can provide community for isolated children, Norway's prime minister believes that self-expression cannot be left in the hands of algorithms.

The measure is also aimed at supporting parents, according to Children and Family Affairs Minister Kjersti Toppe. She said the government is studying ways to enforce the restrictions without interfering with human rights.

Australia has also announced a social media ban for teenagers and young children. The age limit has not yet been decided but is likely to be between 14 and 16.

(According to The Guardian)