Minister seeks child social media ban before term ends

Finland’s Social Security Minister Karoliina Partanen wants legislation banning children from using social media to be approved during the current government’s term, Yle reports.

The government began preparing restrictions on children’s social media use in February. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, of the National Coalition Party, has proposed setting the minimum age at 15.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is leading the work. An interim report was published in June, and preparations have continued since then.

Partanen said she was concerned about harassment targeting children and that the legislation should establish clear limits on their use of social media. She said the rules would support parents in discussions at home and set binding age limits for individual platforms.

The government parties are currently discussing the proposal. Partanen said she wanted the ban completed during the current government’s term.

Research funding could return to Academy of Finland

Partanen became social security minister in June after topping the National Coalition Party’s deputy chair race. She is temporarily replacing Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is on family leave and is expected to return early next year.

The start of Partanen’s ministerial term has been marked by disputes within the government. In June, Social Affairs and Health Minister Wille Rydman decided not to award funding to nine social work research projects, contrary to a proposal submitted to him.

Partanen has publicly criticised Rydman’s actions over both the research funding decisions and the criteria for grants distributed by STEA, Finland’s social welfare and health organisation.

She said competitive research funding could be transferred from ministries back to the Academy of Finland. The ministry has discussed the proposal.

Rydman has also repeatedly said that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health should not fund university research and that such funding should instead come through universities’ own financing. He has previously criticised decisions made by the Academy of Finland, including an approximately 750,000 euro grant for a beauty salon industry project in 2025.

Pension merger deferred to next government

Partanen also aims to advance the government’s previously agreed reform of entrepreneurs’ pensions. The consultation on the reform has ended, with substantial critical feedback submitted.

She said the ministry would still examine how entrepreneurs’ pension contributions could be based on more up-to-date income information. Under the proposal, contributions would be based on the most recently confirmed tax assessment, which could mean a delay of about two years.

Partanen said the ministry was still preparing the details of the reform.

However, the planned merger of Finland’s national pension and guarantee pension will not proceed during the current government’s term, she said. Partanen cited the scale of the reform as the reason.