Over 700 doctors back call for 18-year-old smartphone age limit

More than 700 Norwegian physicians have now endorsed a petition that mirrors a prior appeal signed by over 550 psychologists, calling for an 18-year-old minimum age for owning a smartphone. The doctors’ appeal was posted on Wednesday evening in the private Facebook group “Leger i Norge” by senior consultant Charlotte Lunde and clinic doctor Mille Råholt Løland, and within 24 hours reached the 700-signature mark. Lunde, a child-and-adolescent psychiatry specialist at Rikshospitalet, argues that screen use contributes to an emerging public-health problem and urges the authorities to adopt stricter regulations.

The petition adds to growing pressure on the government, with Children and Families Minister Lene Vågslid acknowledging the issue and indicating work on an age limit for social-media platforms, effectively recommending that children wait until they are 13 or start secondary school before using a smartphone. The movement reflects broader concerns about youth screen time and its impact on mental health in Norway.