Denmark plans to ban under 15-year-olds from social media

Denmark's Prime Minister has said the government is planning to ban social media for under-15 year-olds.

Mette Frederiksen said mobile phones and social media were "stealing our children's childhood".

The announcement follows a law last year bought in by the Australian government banning social media for under-16s.

Read on to find out the reasons for the proposed ban and what other countries' rules are around young people and social media use.

Why might there be a social media ban for Denmark?

In her speech at the opening of the Danish parliament, the Danish Prime Minister acknowledged the advantages of phones which give children the chance to communicate with their friends and call home.

But Denmark's PM went on to say "we have unleashed a monster", before talking about social media and mental health issues.

"Never before have so many children and young people suffered from anxiety and depression.

"Many have difficulty reading and concentrating", adding; "They see things on the screen that they shouldn't."

The government intends to tighten the law and ban social media for children and young people under the age of 15.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also said parents would be able to give permission to their children from age 13.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made the comments during the opening of the Danish parliament Folketing at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen

A report from the Danish Wellbeing Commission in February this year said that 94% of young people in Denmark had a social media profile before they turned 13.

This is despite 13 being the minimum age for many social media platforms.

It also found children aged between nine and 14 years-old spent an average of three hours a day on YouTube and TikTok.

The Danish government bought in a law banning mobile phones from all Primary and lower Secondary schools (up to age 16).

Are other countries banning social media for children?

Other countries in Europe have also acted recently.

France, Greece and Spain are all pushing for new rules to limit children's use of social media.

In the UK controls have been bought in to protect children from seeing harmful content, but rather than a social media ban, companies who own and run social media platforms have been told to better enforce the existing age limits.

Meanwhile in Australia a new law banning social media for under 16s is due to come into effect in coming months.