Sweden proposes age limit for social media use

The Swedish government on Friday proposed an age limit for teenagers who want to interact on social media as a result of data protection rules at the European Union (EU) level.

Swedish authorities will consider an age limit between 13 and 16 as a result of a data protection directive finalized by the EU in December, according to Consumer Minister Per Bolund.

"It is a binding directive, so somewhere in that range is where the Swedish rules will end up," Bolund told public broadcaster Swedish Television.

Children who have not yet reached the age limit will need their guardian's consent to use social media applications or websites, Swedish Television reported.

While services such as Facebook require new users to be over 13, the EU rules are designed to ensure enforcement by law, Swedish Television reported.

"I might question whether these rules are necessary at all, but we are not at liberty to choose since this is an EU directive due for implementation at the national level," Bolund told daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Sweden's Data Inspectorate agency said the EU law would be drafted and turned into Swedish law by April or May of this year.