{
  "id": 15620799,
  "title": "Norway targets 'harmful' social media, games with under-16 ban",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/norway-targets-harmful-social-media-games-with-under-16-ban-15620799",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-19T14:45:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40444953/norway-targets-harmful-social-media-games-with-under-16-ban"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Norway’s government has announced plans to ban children from using social media platforms until they turn 16, citing the need to address various risks posed by these digital spaces. The proposed legislation names messaging and gaming services such as Roblox, Snapchat, and TikTok as potential targets. This move follows a similar approach taken by Australia last December, which implemented the world’s first ban on under-16s using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.\n\nThe Norwegian bill aims to tackle a wide range of issues linked to social media use, including exposure to harmful content, addictive features, illegal marketing, and unwanted contact from strangers. Children and Families Minister Lene Vaagslid highlighted these concerns in a government statement, stating that the legislation will affect \"many platforms\" and provide tech companies with incentives to remove harmful content and addictive features.\n\nTo define what constitutes a \"harmful platform,\" the government describes it as any social media service whose design, features, or content poses a risk to children's emotional, cognitive, physical development, or safety. While the ministry did not specify which other apps might be impacted, it confirmed that platforms like TikTok, Roblox, and Snapchat will likely fall under the new regulations.\n\nMessaging services and games deemed harmless will still be accessible to children and young people under the proposed law. The government has not yet responded to inquiries about the specific criteria used to determine which platforms will be subject to the ban. Meanwhile, representatives for Snap Inc, Roblox Corporation, and TikTok owner ByteDance have not yet provided comments on the matter.",
  "summary": "OSLO: Norway’s planned social media ban for children will include provisions targeting “harmful platforms”, the government said on Monday, naming messaging and gaming services Roblox, Snapchat and TikTok among those affected. The Nordic country said in April it would present a bill in parliament by the end of the year to ban children from using social media until they turn 16, making technology…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}