Greece bans social media for under-15s

The number fifteen marks the new cutoff for social media access in Greece, as the country’s parliament has formally enacted a ban preventing children under that age from using major online platforms. The legislation, which receives its final approval today, will officially take effect on January 1, 2027. This move places Greece among the first nations in the European Union to impose such a specific age restriction on digital participation.

The bill covers prominent services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Under the new framework, these platforms are required to implement proportionate and reliable age-verification methods. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who announced the measure earlier this year, described the legislation as “difficult but necessary.” The government aims to establish a clear boundary between childhood and the digital world, a stance that has gained significant traction in recent months.

Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’s minister for digital governance and AI, defended the timing of the law against critics who argue for waiting on broader EU regulations. “It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law. But the challenge is here. Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do,” Papastergiou stated. The minister emphasized that inaction is no longer a viable option for policymakers.

Compliance with the act will be enforced through the EU’s Digital Services Act, which prescribes fines for non-compliant services. To assist families, parents will be required to download state-backed applications named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These tools must be paired with the child’s device to actively block access to social media. Papastergiou noted that these applications are engineered to protect privacy by using “age tokens.” This technology confirms a user’s age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed, addressing common concerns about digital surveillance.

The path to passage was not without political friction. Minority parties in the Greek parliament opposed the bill, leading Mitsotakis to rely on his majority government to push the measure through. This legislative action follows a previous 2024 decision to bar mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece broadly supports the new social media restrictions, suggesting the government is acting in alignment with public sentiment.

Mitsotakis has previously stated that the government’s “goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well.” This national initiative aligns with recent developments at the EU level, where the European Commission introduced the EU Kids Act. However, that broader legislation stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of 13. Greece’s higher threshold represents a more aggressive approach to protecting minors in the digital sphere.

Australia holds the distinction of being the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children. However, the implementation of age verification in Australia has proven to be a complex challenge. Greece appears to be learning from these early experiences as it prepares to roll out its own system. The coming months will be critical in determining how smoothly the transition to the new verification standards proceeds across the country.

As the clock ticks toward the start of 2027, tech companies and parents alike are preparing for the changes. The Greek government’s decision signals a potential shift in how Europe approaches digital childhood. With the law now official, the focus turns to the practical realities of enforcement and the long-term impact on the country’s youngest digital users.