Norway: Data Protection Authority issued statement on proposed law mandating 15-year minimum age criteria for social media use

On 2 October 2025, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority issued a statement responding to the Government's proposed law mandating a 15-year minimum age for social media use. The authority supports setting a statutory age limit to protect children, but flagged concerns with the proposed age verification requirement. The authority highlighted privacy risks, unclear technical solutions, circumvention through virtual private networks, legal ambiguities, and enforcement challenges for foreign platforms. It recommends a two-step approach, including first implementing a statutory age limit, and further assessing age verification measures.