Denmark Plans To Increase Age Limits For Children's Personal Data Collection By Tech Giants

Danish Business Minister, Morten Bodskov. (photo: twitter @mfMorten)

JAKARTA - Denmark wants to increase the age limit for children's personal data collection by big technology companies such as Google, Snapchat, and Meta. This is done in an effort to control the accumulation of large data on young people, the government said on Monday, June 12.

They want to increase the age limit for children's consent to share personal data with technology companies, from 13 to between 15 and 16 years. These companies will also require parental consent to use data from younger children.

"Those who become tech giants must take bigger responsibility," said Danish Business Minister Morten Bodskov, as the government disclosed initiatives to control the influence of global technology companies.

"We have to stop their opaque algorithms, which use methods that make no sense to keep children and adults stuck in front of the screen and collect inconceivable amounts of personal information," Bodskov was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The move comes as Germany has set a 16 year age limit, while other European countries, from Hungary to Lithuania and the Netherlands, are working on similar legislation.

The United States is also working on an online privacy bill that will prohibit companies from gathering personal information from those aged 16 or younger without consent, and requires these companies to allow young users to delete personal information.

These initiatives, which are expected to become law this year, are based on recommendations from a panel of experts.

They will also introduce age verification measures on websites and apps to keep children away from sensitive content such as pornography or war videos, the ministry of business said in a statement.