How Nordic countries differ in children’s media guidelines

The conversation around children’s and young people’s media use has evolved significantly in recent years across the globe. In the Nordic countries, the topic has gained particular momentum. Smart device use in schools has been restricted, and partly strict recommendations have been issued to families regarding children’s and adolescents’ media habits. This country-specific review highlights how media use is recommended or regulated across the Nordic region.

Finland Leads with Legislation on Smart Devices in Schools

Finland is currently developing recommendations for children’s and adolescents’ leisure-time digital media use through broad stakeholder collaboration, coordinated by the Finnish National Agency for Education and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The primary audience for these recommendations is parents and guardians. Guidelines for children under 13 will be published in early 2026, with those for adolescents expected later that year.

A new law came into effect in August 2025, prohibiting the use of personal mobile devices during lessons, except for pedagogical or health-related reasons. Schools retain autonomy over device use during breaks and meals and define disciplinary measures in their own rules. While schools already had the authority to restrict phone use, educators and school leaders sought a stronger legal framework.

Sweden Sets Clear Screen Time Guidelines

The Swedish Public Health Agency released recommendations for children’s and adolescents’ digital media use in September 2024. These guidelines offer advice on screen time limits, considerations for family media habits, and reflections on parents’ own media behavior. The recommendations are based on the earlier report Digital Media and the Health of Children and Adolescents (in Swedish). Additional materials will be produced in autumn 2025 in collaboration with the Swedish Media Authority to engage both parents and professionals.

Regarding smartphone use, a government inquiry has proposed a national ban on mobile phones in schools starting 1 July 2026. The proposed legislation closely mirrors Finland’s law. Schools will determine practical arrangements, such as phone storage, through their internal policies.

Norway Considers Raising the Age Limit for Social Media

Norway adopted the World Health Organization’s screen time recommendations in 2022. In 2024, the government appointed a committee to examine children’s media use. The committee’s comprehensive report (in Norwegian) includes recommendations for leisure-time media use, school settings, and daycare environments. However, it avoids setting strict time limits, citing limited scientific evidence and varying family circumstances. Instead, the emphasis is placed on parents’ role in guiding media use, particularly before bedtime.

Norway is also considering raising the age limit for data protection from 13 to 15, which would prohibit children under 15 from creating social media accounts.

While there is no national law banning personal phone use during the school day, nearly all primary schools prohibit phone use during lessons through school rules, and more than half of upper secondary schools have adopted similar policies.

Denmark’s Guidelines Extend to Adults

The Danish Health Authority published updated recommendations (in Danish, with a website translation tool) for leisure-time screen use in June 2024. These guidelines apply to children, adolescents, and parents. Denmark follows the WHO’s approach to time limits, acknowledging the limited scientific evidence. Time-based suggestions are presented as flexible guidelines, supported by practical advice for implementation.

Denmark does not currently have a national law banning phone use during the school day. However, the government is planning legislation that would require all school boards to establish a local anti-smartphone policy.

Iceland Sets Time Limits Only for the Youngest Children

Although Iceland lacks formal national guidelines, the health authority has compiled comprehensive instructions on screen time and media use for children on the health service website Heilsuvera (in Icelandic, with a translation tool). These guidelines were developed in collaboration with the Media Literacy Department at the Icelandic Media Commission. While no strict time limits are imposed, screen use is not recommended at all for children under 18 months. The site also offers concise recommendations for three age groups, created in partnership with multiple stakeholders.

The Icelandic government is preparing to regulate phone use in schools in the coming months. Many schools across the country have already implemented bans during the school day.

Text: Julia Alajärvi, National Audiovisual Institute

Photo: Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock

Sources: Nordic media regulators meeting in Helsinki, September 11–12, 2025; National Recommendations and Guidelines in the Nordic Countries by Nordic Welfare Centre; various national authority websites; Helsingin Sanomat, Yle, Euronews, BBC.

Note: The National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) will merge into the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency as of 1 January 2026. This merger is part of the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Administration 2030 reform initiative.