Norway Plans Under-16 Restrictions on Risky Online Services

Norway’s government is preparing legislation that would restrict access to social media for children under 16 and could also cover some gaming and messaging services it considers harmful. It aims to submit the bill to Parliament by the end of 2026, but the measure has not been adopted and will need support from other parties because the government is a minority administration. The government’s proposed test would cover social media whose design, features or content pose risks to children’s development, health or safety. It expects TikTok, Snapchat and Roblox to qualify. Officials say the risks include harmful content, addictive features, illegal advertising and unwanted contact from strangers. The government has not published a complete list of services that would be covered. The draft remains limited to services legally defined as social media, so a game or messaging service would not be included solely because it presents risks. Services considered harmless, including messaging tools used for school communication, could remain accessible, according to the government. Under the proposal, platforms would be responsible for verifying users’ ages. Children could access covered...