Norway is considering one of the world’s strictest social media restrictions for children under 15, aiming to protect young minds from the influence of tech giants. The Scandinavian country already prohibits children under 13 from accessing social media but, with reports indicating that this restriction is widely ignored, the Norwegian government is pushing for broader, more enforceable regulations.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, in an interview with the Norwegian publication VG, acknowledged that implementing the expanded ban would be “an uphill battle.” Framing the measure as a moral imperative, he emphasized the importance of shielding children from the pervasive influence of “big tech giants pitted against small children’s brains.”

Norway’s Minister for Children and Families, Kjersti Toppe, supports the new legislation, believing it could empower parents. “Legislation would give parents the security to say no,” Toppe stated, noting that while many parents are inclined to limit social media usage, they often feel unsupported in doing so.

However, there are vocal critics of the proposal, such as AI expert Thomas Anglero, CEO of the Oslo-based tech company Too Easy. Anglero argued that the law could disrupt family dynamics and called for improved parenting, rather than government intervention, as the solution. “The problem is not the tech but the culture,” Anglero explained, noting that technology use is prevalent for family coordination in activities like sports.

To address the ban’s enforceability, Norway is exploring age-verification technologies. Online safety advocate Lina Ghazal of  Verifymy advised the government to adopt age estimation tools like email and facial age estimation, which could make it harder for young users to bypass restrictions without causing major disruptions.

Norway’s push follows global scrutiny over youth social media usage. Australia is considering a similar ban for children under 16, while France recently trialed a mobile phone ban for schoolchildren under 15. Tech companies, meanwhile, have offered mixed responses. Meta’s global affairs chief, Nick Clegg, has emphasized the benefits of social media for youth, while other leaders, including Elon Musk and Evan Spiegel, have supported regulatory measures in general terms without advocating specific bans.

As Norway weighs its options, other nations may be watching closely to see if this small country will lead the way in setting a new international standard for child safety online.