Greece Moves to Restrict Social Media Use for Children Under 15

A legislative battle over child safety and digital access has culminated in a significant policy shift for Greece, as the nation moves to cut off social media access for its youngest citizens. The government is enacting a strict prohibition on social networking platforms for children under the age of 15, a measure aimed at curbing internet dependency among minors. This initiative reflects a growing tension between the desire to regulate digital spaces and the ease of unmonitored online access.

The Greek parliament has passed the bill, which was first proposed earlier this year by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The new rules are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. The legislation targets major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, requiring them to implement reliable methods for verifying user age. Mitsotakis characterized the proposal as a difficult but necessary step to take.

The enforcement of these restrictions falls under the digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou. He emphasized that the government is acting now rather than waiting for a perfect solution from Europe, stating, "Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do." To facilitate this, parents will need to utilize state-backed applications such as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which pair with a child's device to block unauthorized access. These tools utilize age tokens to verify a user's identity while minimizing the collection of personal data.

While the government holds a parliamentary majority that allowed the bill to pass despite opposition from minority parties, the measure is supported by the broader public. Opinion polling indicates that a significant portion of Greece's adult population favors these restrictions on children. The country has previously taken steps to limit technology in education, having barred mobile phones in schools in 2024.

The implications of this law extend beyond Greece's borders, as the government intends to use this legislation to influence the European Union. Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that his goal is to push the EU in this direction as well. Currently, the European Commission's EU Kids Act only mandates bans for those under 13. While Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for kids, the implementation of age verification has proven challenging there, a hurdle Greece now intends to navigate.