By Molly Quell
The Hague, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government on Tuesday advised parents not to use social media platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram for children under the age of 15.
The Ministry of Health also encouraged children to limit the time they spend using electronic devices, lock their phones and laptops out of their bedrooms, use 20 minutes of screen time and then play for two hours of external play.
The recommendation “gives children time to further develop digital resilience and media literacy,” Vincent Kalemans, vice minister of caretakers for youth sports, said in a letter to Congress. Karremans is one of the few ministers remaining after the collapse of the Dutch government earlier this month until the October election.
Both Tiktok and Instagram require users to be at least 13 years old.
The non-legally binding guidelines distinguish between “social media” sites such as Tiktok and Instagram and “social interaction platforms” such as messaging services WhatsApp and Signal. Social media sites have “significantly many additional design features” that have a negative impact on children, the government said.
According to recommendations, children can use the 13-year-old messaging service, which is the year most Dutch children start secondary school.
Last year, Australia became the world’s first country to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media. Denmark and France are considering similar laws, and Sweden issued a recommendation last year on limiting screen time for children.
A group of experts, compiled at the request of the Dutch Parliament, found that intense screen time and social media use could lead to physical and psychological problems in children.
Dutch schools prohibit students from using tablets, mobile phones and smartwatches, with a few exceptions, including media literacy classes.
In May, around 1,400 doctors and child welfare experts from the Netherlands signed a public letter, calling on the government to ban children up to the age of 16, who would restrict their cell phones and restrict them.
In February, Dutch Queen Maxima said her youngest child, Princess Arian, suffered from vision problems due to her mobile device taking too long.
Original issue: June 17, 2025, 7:22pm EDT
