The Norwegian government has clarified its plans to restrict children's access to social media. The proposed law will now cover not only traditional social networks but also gaming platforms, including Roblox.
According to Reuters, the authorities intend to establish a 16+ age restriction for digital services that may pose a threat to children's safety and development. The government has explicitly named Roblox, TikTok, and Snapchat as platforms that should be subject to the new rules.
Initially, it was assumed that games and messaging apps would be excluded from the law. However, Norwegian authorities have now decided to abandon this approach. Instead, they plan to assess digital platforms based on the potential harm to minors.
This specifically involves risks related to access to undesirable content, addictive mechanics, illegal advertising, and interactions with strangers.
The Norwegian Minister of Children and Family Affairs, Lene Vågslid, stated that some gaming platforms have features typical of social networks, including algorithmic recommendations and user interaction tools. Therefore, they should also be considered when drafting the law.
The ban will not apply to all games and messaging apps. Services that do not pose a significant risk to children will be able to continue operating without such age restrictions.
It is expected that the responsibility for verifying users' age will fall on the technology companies themselves. The solutions they use must comply with personal data protection requirements.
The Norwegian government aims to submit the bill to parliament by the end of 2026. If passed, the new rules are planned to come into effect in 2027.
It is worth noting that similar restrictions are already in place in Australia. Since December 2025, children under 16 are prohibited from having accounts on several social platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. However, Roblox is not yet covered by the Australian law.
In September 2026, new restrictions for minors were also adopted in California. There, authorities prohibited social networks from providing users under 16 with certain addictive features, including autoplay content and algorithmic recommendation feeds.