Greece bans social media for children under 15 starting next year

Greece has officially become one of the first countries in the European Union to ban social media use for children under the age of 15. The law is now in effect on the books and will begin operating on January 1, 2027. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the measure earlier this year. He described the decision as difficult but necessary for the nation's youth.

The legislation targets major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These services must implement age-verification methods that are both reliable and proportionate. The government aims to ensure that young users cannot easily access these digital spaces without proper checks. This move follows a previous rule in 2024 that barred mobile phones in schools.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, explained the reasoning behind the swift action. He noted that waiting for a perfect European law was an option but not the right choice. Papastergiou stated that children are sinking into the internet every day. He argued that a responsible government must act when obligated to do so.

Compliance with the new act is enforced through the EU's Digital Services Act. Companies that fail to meet the requirements face fines. Parents also play a significant role in the process. They must download specific state-backed applications known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps pair with their child's device to block access to social media platforms.

The state applications are designed with privacy in mind. They use age tokens to confirm a user's age. This method minimizes the amount of personal data disclosed. The goal is to verify age without collecting excessive information about the child. This approach seeks to balance security with data protection.

The bill faced opposition from minority parties in parliament. However, the majority government pushed the legislation through. Opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece widely supports the ban. The move reflects a growing concern among adults about the impact of social media on younger generations.

Mitsotakis has stated that the government hopes to push the EU in the same direction. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act. However, that proposed law only mandates an outright ban for children under 13. Greece's new law goes further by covering those under 15. The nation aims to set a standard for the rest of the continent.

Australia was the first country to enact a full social media ban for kids. However, the implementation of age verification there has proven challenging. Greece is now joining this small group of nations. The law will take effect in three months, giving platforms and parents time to prepare. The coming months will show how effective these new measures are in practice.