https://yle.fi/a/74-20207494 Skip to content Skip to content Etusivu Venajan hyokkaysMuumit-lukumaratonTalviolympialaiset Search [ ] Menu * Haemme saatietoja... * Search from Yle content Current topics * Venajan hyokkays * Muumit-lukumaraton * Talviolympialaiset * UMK26 * Lintulautalive * Sanapyramidi * Urheilustudion pipovisa * Etusivu * Uutisia lyhyesti * Tuoreimmat * Urheilu * Saa * Paikallisuutiset * Kotimaa * Ulkomaat * Politiikka * Talous * Kulttuuri * Tiede * Luonto * Oppiminen * Abitreenit * Kolumnit * Uutiset viittomakielella * Selkouutiset * Uutisluokka * Elava arkisto * Teksti-TV * Uutiskirjeet * TV-opas * Radio-opas * RSS-syotteet Series. Podcasts. Live broadcast. * Svenska * Sapmi * News * Novosti * Novini * Uudizet karjalakse * Laheta uutiskuva tai -video * Asiakaspalvelu * Contact us * Cookie preferences Close menu News Share News Top stories Latest About us More * All Points North * Radio * Newsletter * Presidential election * Sport * Weather * Finland / Domestic * Business * Economy * Society * Working life * Education * Crime * Technology * Foreign policy * History * Politics * Immigration * Culture * Nature * Science * Health * Food * Entertainment * Travel * Transport * Climate * Media Finland looks to end "uncontrolled human experiment" with Australia-style ban on social media Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP), the Finnish public health authority THL and two-thirds of Finns are in favour of banning or restricting the use of social media by under-15s. Children under the age of 15 might be deleting their apps if the government's plans are passed into law. * Ronan Browne 31.1. 09:01 Lunch break at the Finnish International School of Tampere (FISTA) is a boisterous time. The yard is filled with children -- ranging from grades 1 to 9, or ages 6 to 16 -- running around, shouting, playing football, shooting basketball hoops, doing what kids do. And there's not a single screen in sight. FISTA has taken advantage of the law change, brought in last August, which allows schools to restrict or completely ban the use of mobile phones during school hours. At FISTA, this means no phones at all unless specifically used for learning in the classroom. "We've seen that cutting down on the possibilities for students to use their phones, during the breaks for instance, has spurred a lot of creativity," FISTA vice principal Antti Koivisto notes. "They're more active, doing more physical things like playing games outdoors or taking part in the organised break activities or just socialising with each other." With the smartphone restriction in schools widely considered to have been a success, Finland's government has now set its sights on social media platforms. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said earlier this month that he supports banning the use of social media by children under the age of 15. "I am deeply concerned about the lack of physical activity among children and young people, and the fact that it is increasing," Orpo said at the time. And there is a growing groundswell of support for Finland introducing such a ban. Two-thirds of respondents to a survey published earlier this week said they back a ban on social media for under-15s. This is a near 10 percentage point jump compared to a similar survey carried out just last summer. "Uncontrolled human experiment" The concerns over social media, and in particular the effects on children, have been well-documented -- but Finnish researcher Silja Kosola's recent description of the phenomenon as an "uncontrolled human experiment" has grabbed people's attention once again. Kosola, an associate professor in adolescent medicine, has researched the impact of social media on young people, and tells Yle News that the consequences are not very well understood. "We see a rise in self-harm and especially eating disorders. We see a big separation in the values of young girls and boys, which is also a big problem in society," Kosola explains. In the video below, Silja Kosola explains the detrimental effects that excessive use of social media can have on young people. Silja Kosola speaking on the All Points North podcast. She further notes that certain aspects of Finnish culture -- such as the independence and freedom granted to children from a young age -- have unwittingly exacerbated the ill effects of social media use. "We have given smartphones to younger people more than anywhere else in the world. Just a couple of years ago, about 95 percent of first graders had their own smartphone, and that hasn't happened anywhere else," she says. All eyes on Australia Since 10 December last year, children under the age of 16 in Australia have been banned from using social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began drafting the legislation after he received a heartfelt letter from a grieving mother who lost her 12-year-old daughter to suicide. Although Albanese has never revealed the details of the letter, he told public broadcaster ABC that it was "obvious social media had played a key role" in the young girl's death. The legislation aims to shift the burden away from parents and children and onto the social media companies, who face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (29 million euros) if they consistently fail to keep kids off their platforms. Clare Armstrong, ABC's chief digital political correspondent, told Yle News that the initial reaction to the roll-out has been some confusion but no little "relief". "The government often talks about this law as being a tool to help parents and other institutions enforce and start conversations about tech and social media in ways that before, they couldn't," she says. Although it is still early days, as the ban has only been in force for about six weeks, Armstrong adds that the early indicators have been good. ABC journalist Clare Armstrong explains in the video below how children in Australia have been spending their time since the social media ban was introduced. Clare Armstrong speaking on the All Points North podcast. However, she adds a note of caution to any countries -- such as Finland -- looking to emulate the Australian model, noting that communication is key. "Because you can write a very good law, but if the public doesn't understand it, and if it can't be enforced at that household level easily, then it's bound to fail," Armstrong says. Playing to Finland's strengths Seona Candy, an Australian living in Helsinki for over eight years, has been keenly following the events in her homeland since the social media ban came into effect in December. She has heard anecdotally that if kids find themselves blocked from one platform, they just set up an account on another, "ones that maybe their parents don't even know exist". "And this is then much, much harder, because those platforms don't have parental controls, so they don't have those things already designed into them that the more mainstream platforms do," Candy says. Because of this issue, and others she has heard about, she warns against Finland introducing like-for-like legislation based around Australia's "reactive, knee-jerk" law change. "I think the Finnish government should really invest in digital education, and digital literacy, and teach kids about digital safety. Finland is world-famous for education, and for media literacy. Play to your strengths, right?" The All Points North podcast asked if Finland should introduce a similar ban on social media as in Australia. You can listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Should Finland ban kids from using social media? [13-1-43557] More on the subject: The package contains 2 links More on the subject Finnish PM floats social media ban for under-15s Domestic news Published 14.1.2026 14.1. A man in a dark suit and dark-rimmed glasses sits by a window. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Survey finds more support in Finland for social media ban for under-15s Domestic news Published 26.1.2026 26.1. Close up photo of a person's lap, seen from the side, as the person holds a smartphone. Bright white lights are seen in the distance. Latest: paketissa on 10 artikkelia Latest A tick on a finger. News Finland expands access to free TBE vaccines Cases are reported most often in coastal and archipelago areas. Domestic news 16:45 Woman wearing pink coat walking in the rain on a city sidewalk, seen through a mist-covered window embossed with the Kela/Fpa logo. News Finland tightens access to basic social assistance Rules for receiving social assistance are getting stricter as of Sunday. Domestic news 15:57 The European Parliament voting in plenary session. News Finnish MEPs blame Russia for unemployment crisis, look to EU for aid Historically a net contributor, Finland now faces a difficult path towards economic recovery, made all the more challenging by sharing the EU's longest landborder with Russia. Domestic news 1.2. News Worried about the climate? Concrete action can help, study suggests Climate 1.2. A row of girls or young women in front of Parliament, holding cardboard signs with hand-written climate slogans in English. News In pictures: Life in ice-cold Finland 31.1. Jaatynyt Tammerkosken putous. News PM: Joining Nato was "the only right choice" Foreign policy 31.1. A man in glasses seen on a monitor. News Marko Ahtisaari named in Epstein files Domestic news 31.1. A man in a suit looks into a camera. News Kela turns down one in four basic assistance claims Domestic news 31.1. A hand points at a Kela form. News Finland looks to end "uncontrolled human experiment" with Australia-style ban on social media All Points North 31.1. Photo shows a mobile phone with apps. News Yle's new satellite images reveal: Russia upgrading Soviet-era garrison in Petrozavodsk Security 31.1. Map of Russian garrisons near Finland. Show moreShow more Most popular 1. 1 Domestic news Finland tightens access to basic social assistance 2. 2 Domestic news Marko Ahtisaari named in Epstein files 3. 3 All Points North Finland looks to end "uncontrolled human experiment" with Australia-style ban on social media 4. 4 Domestic news Finnish MEPs blame Russia for unemployment crisis, look to EU for aid 5. 5 Domestic news Kela turns down one in four basic assistance claims Latest 1. 16:45 Domestic news Finland expands access to free TBE vaccines 2. 15:57 Domestic news Finland tightens access to basic social assistance 3. 1.2. Domestic news Finnish MEPs blame Russia for unemployment crisis, look to EU for aid 4. 1.2. Climate Worried about the climate? Concrete action can help, study suggests 5. 31.1. In pictures: Life in ice-cold Finland 6. 31.1. Foreign policy PM: Joining Nato was "the only right choice" 7. 31.1. Domestic news Marko Ahtisaari named in Epstein files 8. 31.1. Domestic news Kela turns down one in four basic assistance claims 9. 31.1. All Points North Finland looks to end "uncontrolled human experiment" with Australia-style ban on social media 10. 31.1. Security Yle's new satellite images reveal: Russia upgrading Soviet-era garrison in Petrozavodsk 11. 30.1. All Points North APN Podcast: To ban or not to ban -- Finland's social media conundrum 12. 30.1. Crime Assault reports in Finland reach record high in 2025 13. 30.1. Economy Finland suffers EU's worst unemployment for second month in a row 14. 30.1. Domestic news Immigration to Finland dropped sharply last year 15. 30.1. Weather Southern Finland's record-breaking cold to continue 16. 30.1. Media Friday's papers: Rental investor regret, famous furniture chain at risk, and otter havoc in Hanko 17. 29.1. Travel Finnish tourism to US fell by 25% last year 18. 29.1. Business Finland and China sign commercial cooperation deal 19. 29.1. Business AI-generated bearded 'boomer' in summer job ad raises eyebrows, criticism 20. 29.1. Business Nokia, Nordea report declining profits in fourth quarter Back to topBack to top * About Yle * Privacy statement * Accessibility * Cookie policy * Careers * Contact us