Cybersecurity Policy Report, Norwegian Privacy Agency Discusses Proposed Age Verification Requirements, (Apr 28, 2026)

By Tony Foley

Datatilsynet, the Norwegian data protection authority, has expressed support for the government’s intention to enact legislation on age limits in social media use but has concerns regarding the proposal’s provisions on age verification.

The government’s proposal contemplates that tech companies will be responsible for verifying the age of users when they log in, but it’s risky to allow the platforms to choose the type of age verification tools they want to use, Datatilsynet said in a news release. Instead, the agency recommended that the law should explicitly state how the verification should take place.

Noting that age verification solutions often require extensive information like passport photos or optical biometers, Datatilsynet emphasized the importance of collecting only necessary information, establishing appropriate security measures, and incorporating strict deletion mechanisms to avoid the data going astray or being used for new purposes.

The agency said that, when the government’s proposal was submitted for consultation, it sent a response in which it argued that the solutions for age verification had not been sufficiently investigated. “The proposed requirement for age verification is intended to mean that everyone who uses social media must verify their age in order to access the services. This is an invasion of the privacy of everyone who uses social media—not just children,” said Line Coll, Datatilsynet’s director general. “Our view is that the consequences of the proposal for age verification have not been thoroughly enough investigated.”

News: InternationalLegislation DataPrivacy DataSecurity