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Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would rather have her kids smoking than allow them to stay on their own on social media
Under Frederiksen’s leadership, Denmark has emerged as one of Europe’s most vocal proponents for limiting corporate tech influence over minors. File pic/AP
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has ignited an intense global debate after a video resurfaced of her remarks comparing children’s social media consumption to the hazards of tobacco use. Speaking at a high-level international conference on artificial intelligence (AI) and child safety, the 48-year-old leader delivered a stark ultimatum on the digital risks confronting the younger generation. “If I had small kids today, I would rather have them smoking than allow them to stay on their own on social media,” Frederiksen stated, triggering widespread conversation across social media platforms, parental advocacy networks, and political circles worldwide.
The Prime Minister’s provocative analogy is part of a broader, increasingly aggressive push by the Danish government to implement stricter regulations on big tech corporations. While critics argue that comparing tobacco addiction to digital screen time is an extreme hyperbole, supporters maintain that such jarring rhetoric is necessary to break through public complacency regarding youth mental health. Frederiksen’s administration has consistently highlighted the correlation between unsupervised algorithmic exposure and rising rates of anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation among children, framing the tech crisis as an urgent public health emergency akin to historic battles against the tobacco industry.
Denmark’s PM Mette Frederiksen:There is a total established link between power, political power, capital, tech giants and AI. And the purpose of this is undermining democracy.
That’s the goal because the people who are developing this stuff are against democracy.
And met Sam… pic.twitter.com/ROl7vEyg6h
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 31, 2026
The Push for Radical Digital Regulation
Under Frederiksen’s leadership, Denmark has emerged as one of Europe’s most vocal proponents for limiting corporate tech influence over minors. The Danish government has been actively lobbying the European Union to enforce a mandatory age verification system across all social media networks, advocating for a minimum age requirement of 15 years. Beyond age walls, Copenhagen is pushing for a complete ban on algorithmic personalisation and addictive design loops targeted at children, such as infinite scrolling and predatory push notifications.
The Prime Minister’s recent comments reflect a profound frustration with the perceived inadequacy of self-regulation by technology conglomerates. Danish policy advisors argue that tech platforms have deliberately engineered psychological dependencies that bypass parental controls, leaving children vulnerable to cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and data exploitation. By using highly dramatic language, Frederiksen aims to shift the burden of protection away from individual parents and place it squarely on international legislative frameworks, demanding that tech executives be held legally accountable for the psychological well-being of their youngest users.
A Growing European Consensus
Denmark is far from alone in its restrictive stance, as Frederiksen’s fiery rhetoric aligns with a growing consensus across the European continent. Several nations have recently introduced or debated sweeping legislation aimed at reclaiming the digital sphere for minors. France has trialled a total ban on mobile phones in school assemblies for students up to the age of 15, while the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act has significantly increased the penalties for platforms failing to protect children from toxic material.
The global reaction to the resurfaced video underscores a critical tipping point in how societies view the digital landscape. While healthcare professionals quickly pointed out that smoking poses irreversible physical dangers, many psychologists have defended the essence of the Prime Minister’s warning, acknowledging that the unmonitored digital world presents unprecedented risks to cognitive development. As European policymakers prepare to introduce next-generation tech regulationsFrederiksen’s controversial comparison has successfully forced the issue of child digital safety to the very top of the international political agenda.
About the Author
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More
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