The Danish government is proposing to allocate DKK 160 million to bolster internet safety for children and young people. The funds will be distributed annually from 2026 to 2029, with DKK 40 million allocated each year.

The proposal, which will be part of the upcoming budget negotiations, aims to strengthen the oversight of social media platforms and develop more explicit guidelines for parents.

The Social Democrats are advocating for a national age limit of 15 for social media use.

Digitalization Minister Caroline Stage (M) noted that existing age limits on social media platforms are often not enforced effectively, highlighting that 48 percent of Danish children aged 10 have a social media profile, and 94 percent have one by age 13.

Birgitte Vind (S), the Social Democrats’ digital spokesperson, stated, “Social media has become the wild west. Children are exposed every day to addictive algorithms, hidden advertising and inappropriate content. This is unsustainable – and now we are taking action.”

In July, the EU Commission introduced new guidelines that allow individual EU countries to establish their own age limits for social media access. The Minister for Digitalisation hailed this as a “breakthrough”.