Norway to implement proposed social media age limit for harmful platforms, abandoning earlier plans to exempt messaging services and video games. TikTok, Roblox and Snapchat are among the platforms the government has named as falling under the revised approach. The bill is expected to reach parliament by the end of 2026, but the government has not said when the restrictions would come into force or what penalties would apply.

What occurred?

The proposed law included a list of exemptions, such as messaging services and games, so as not to impact harmless apps like school communication tools. The government has now moved to a single condition, which is that the law will only apply to social media platforms that pose a risk of harm to children.

This condition obviates the need for blanket exemptions, which are being removed. “We won’t categorically exclude messaging services and games; they will be included if they pass the harm test.

The government says this change won’t narrow the law’s scope. It argues that a risk-based test can identify harmful services, including those with social media features such as games that a static list of exemptions might have missed.

What does “Harmful” mean?

The law describes a harmful social medium as one whose design, features or content put children’s emotional, cognitive or physical development or safety at risk.

The government says the law is designed to address a range of risks:

• Exposure to harmful substances
• Addiction properties
• Illegal marketing
• Unsolicited contact from strangers

Using current knowledge, and updated as technology evolves, we will determine what constitutes harm. The government says this is a more flexible approach, but the announcement does not state who will carry out the assessments or how often they will be.

The age limit

The age limit will apply until 1 January of the year in which a child turns 16 years old. The way it is written seems to indicate that eligibility will be determined by year of birth, not by the actual birthday, but the announcement does not make this explicit.

The proposed law has been consulted on in Norway and the wider European Economic Area (EEA).

How would this be enforced?

The proposal is a national age-limit law that triggers the enforcement and sanctioning obligations already set out in the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA is to be implemented in Norway through a national Digital Services Act. This has been consulted upon, but is not yet in force.

No enforcement can start until the national law has entered into force. Digitalisation Minister Torgeir Micaelsen said speedy implementation of the law is a high priority and will enable Norway to enforce the age limit on major platforms. The government expects companies to comply immediately, he said.

Platforms will have to determine their own age-verification methods. The methods must be effective, privacy-friendly and compliant with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The government hasn’t specified any specific technology.

What the announcement does not mention

This announcement gives rise to a number of questions, including

• No start date: The government has only said it wants to bring in the bill by the end of 2026.
• No penalties mentioned: The announcement makes no mention of fines or any other sanctions.
• No decision-maker identified: It does not say who will decide whether a platform is harmful, nor what procedure they will use.
• Enforcement depends on Norway’s Digital Services Act, which is still to be passed.

The government’s claim is unsubstantiated: The government’s position is that the risk-based test will not restrict the law’s reach. The application of the harm criteria will determine how games and messaging services are treated in practice.