Nordic countries have agreed on a joint manifesto to protect children and young people from the influence of major technology companies. The Marienborg Manifesto, announced on Tuesday, 27 October, calls for closer cooperation on digital regulation across the Nordic region and beyond.
The agreement brings together Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, as well as Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland. It was presented in connection with a Nordic government meeting in Helsinki, according to Danish news agency Ritzau, which reported details from the Danish Prime Minister’s Office.
The leaders want to coordinate their response to technology platforms whose services are used by children. They argue that the way digital technology is designed and used can undermine concentration, learning and wellbeing, although the manifesto itself does not establish new, enforceable rules across the region.
What the Nordic countries want to change
The declaration calls for tougher regulation of large technology companies, age limits for social media and action to remove personal smart devices from schools, according to Ritzau. It also commits the participants to sharing ideas and cooperating on legislation and international initiatives.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said governments had allowed screens into children’s lives too uncritically, with consequences for young people and society. As reported by public broadcaster DR, she said:
“With today’s manifesto, we in the Nordic region stand together against the power of tech giants over our children’s upbringing.”
Frederiksen said the signatories would pursue change nationally, at European Union level and globally. The declaration is therefore intended to give the Nordic governments a common position in negotiations and discussions with technology companies, rather than to introduce an immediate Nordic-wide ban.
How the manifesto connects to European digital rules
The agreement comes as several Nordic governments are already considering different restrictions. Denmark has decided to introduce a social media age limit of 15, expected to take effect in July 2027, according to Ritzau. Norway has proposed a separate minimum-age system tied to the calendar year in which a child turns 16, as NordiskPost previously reported.
At EU level, the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act in September 2026, including a minimum age of 15 for opening a social media account independently. The Nordic leaders want stronger European rules to be part of their common approach, but the EU proposal and the national measures follow separate legislative processes.
For now, the Marienborg Manifesto establishes a shared political commitment. Its effect will depend on the national measures that follow and on the influence Nordic governments can exert over European and international regulation.
