Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that the Moderate Party wants to ban social media for children under 15, according to multiple reports. The government has appointed a special investigation to examine the possibility of introducing an age limit for social media, with a first interim report expected in June. Kristersson said the age limit should apply to major platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
The proposed ban aligns with international trends. Australia and Malaysia have recently introduced a 16-year age limit, and France is moving towards a 15-year limit. In Sweden, the Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, and Liberals have previously stated they also want a 15-year age limit. The Center Party has expressed positivity about some form of age limit.
According to Aftonbladet, Kristersson described that the age verification system should be at least as secure as Systembolaget's 20-year checks. He also said that 15 years feels natural to him. Regarding the design of legislation, he noted that the more similar legislation across Europe, the better. He emphasized that credibility is very important, as easy circumvention would make the ban meaningless. He also stressed the need to maintain integrity, suggesting a system where users identify their age but retain anonymity. Kristersson acknowledged that not all teenagers will love the proposal and that consensus among adults is necessary for it to work.
However, uncertainties remain about implementation. Kristersson has no answer on exactly how age verification should be done. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet) is concerned that tech giants will be responsible for checking who is old enough. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wants to ban social media before upper secondary school, but the timeline for that proposal is unclear.
The Swedish investigation will need to address technical challenges, privacy concerns, and the specific age limit. It is also uncertain whether the ban will apply to all social media platforms or only specific ones. The government aims to present a credible system that balances protection of minors with privacy rights.