Centre wants parents to override social media age limit from 13

Parents could approve social-media access from age 13 under a Centre Party proposal that breaks with a government inquiry's stricter model for children in Sweden.

C wants a statutory age limit of 15, but would permit access from 13 with guardian consent. It proposes checking age once when a device is set up, then giving apps only a yes-or-no age signal rather than identity data. It also wants minors protected by default from unknown direct messages and search visibility.

The government inquiry proposes age 15 without parental exemptions, arguing opt-outs would produce unequal protection and social pressure. It recommends no penalties for children or parents. It also says verification should avoid identifying users, while EU technical work continues.

No rule changes now. The Centre proposal is a party position. The inquiry is on consultation until 16 October. Government would need to choose a model, draft a bill and win Riksdag approval. Sweden may also need EU-level platform rules before any national limit can work as intended.

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