Medierådet for Børn og Unge has warned parents about intensive marketing and potentially age-inappropriate content on the Danish wish-list platform Ønskeskyen. The council issued the warning on August 12, 2026.
The council, which is set up by the Ministry of Culture, published its assessment in a press release. DR reports that parents should pay attention if their children use the platform, where users create wish lists for gifts.
According to Medierådet, children and young people can find it hard to tell what is advertising and what is a paid collaboration. Sponsored content can appear under the platform’s “trending” category, where influencers highlight items on their own wish lists.
Those posts are often part of paid collaborations with clothing firms or similar companies, the council states. The marketing also includes ads with direct links to shops, which Medierådet says creates consumer pressure on users.
The council further warns that children risk being shown content that is not appropriate for their age. As an example, it points to material related to alcohol.
In January 2026, the Danish Consumer Ombudsman, Forbrugerombudsmanden, opened an investigation into Ønskeskyen over possible hidden advertising. The platform rejects that characterization, according to DR.
Ønskeskyen raised its age limit from 13 to 15 in April 2026 after criticism from several organizations. Children under 15 can still set up a profile with parental approval, but such profiles come with a series of restrictions.
First Danish platform in the guide
Medierådet for Børn og Unge works to spread knowledge about children’s and young people’s use of digital media. In 2026, it launched Platformsguiden, where adults can read about platforms that are popular among children and young people.
Platforms are assessed against a set of fixed points of attention. These include advertising and problematic content, as well as data collection, contact with strangers and elements of gambling.
The council has assessed 14 platforms so far, among them social media services such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. Ønskeskyen is the first Danish platform added to the guide.
Ekstra Bladet reported the same warning about intensive marketing. The outlet also highlighted the council’s framing of Ønskeskyen as the first Danish platform to be included in Platformsguiden.
On its own website, Medierådet states that Platformsguiden is aimed at parents, caregivers and other adults. The guide is meant to give them knowledge about risks on the digital platforms that Danish children and young people use most.
The warning follows the rollout of Platformsguiden in 2026, which is the framework under which the council assessed Ønskeskyen. Per DR, the platform was added as the first Danish entry in that guide.
