TikTok, Snapchat and Roblox targeted in Norway's social media ban
As the Norwegian government prepares to submit a bill banning social media for children under 16 to parliament by the end of the year, it is also extending the regulation to gaming and messaging services.
The Norwegian government has announced that it will submit a bill to parliament by the end of the year banning children from using social media until the age of 16. Expanded to cover risky online gaming and messaging services such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox alongside traditional platforms, the regulation will place the responsibility for user age verification on technology companies.
The under-16 social media ban bill prepared by the Norwegian government and opened for public consultation in April is planned to be submitted to parliament by the end of the year. The bill aims to eliminate the risks of harmful content, addictive features, illegal marketing, and unwanted communication from strangers. Within the scope of the regulation, platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox are specifically targeted.
Minister of Children and Families Lene Vaagslid stated that the bill will encourage technology companies to remove harmful features. It was reported that the obligation for age verification will rest with technology companies and that the systems will need to comply with European data protection rules. Meanwhile, messaging services and games considered harmless, such as school communication tools, will remain accessible. The center-left Labour Party government had published a draft foreseeing an age limit of 15 in 2025 and raised the age to 16 in April of this year. Snap Inc., Roblox Corporation, and ByteDance did not respond to requests for comment.