Swedish parliament majority backs age limits for social media

A majority of Sweden’s political parties support introducing a legal age restriction for social media use, according to a survey by public broadcaster SVT’s children’s news programme Lilla Aktuellt.

Six of the eight parties in the Riksdag—Social Democrats, Moderates, Liberals, Christian Democrats, Centre Party, and Left Party—stated they would consider legislation on age limits. The Green Party and Sweden Democrats said they would await the findings of an ongoing government inquiry before taking a position.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (Moderates) proposed a 15-year minimum age in March, prompting the government to launch an investigation into feasibility. A preliminary report is expected in June.

Uncertainty over enforcement
Parties remain divided on how to implement such restrictions. The Social Democrats suggested using BankID or the EU’s upcoming digital wallet for age verification, while the Christian Democrats favoured a pan-EU solution that verifies age without exposing children’s identities. The Centre Party opposed BankID-based checks, instead proposing a built-in “child mode” in smartphones.

Australian precedent shows challenges
Australia introduced a 16-year age limit at the start of 2026, but recent data indicates widespread circumvention by teenagers. Platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube are now under investigation for potential violations.