Greece Forges Ahead With Social Media Ban For Kids

Greece is moving to restrict social media access for young children, with lawmakers in Athens passing a measure that bans users under the age of 15 from major online platforms. The legislation, which mandates strict age-verification protocols for services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, represents one of the first moves of its kind within the European Union.

The initiative was first proposed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier in the year, who characterized the proposal as "difficult but necessary." While the bill has now cleared parliament, its enforcement date is set for January 1, 2027.

The push for this regulation stems from growing concerns regarding children's online safety. Digital Governance and AI Minister Dimitris Papastergiou emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that "Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do."

Papastergiou argued against waiting for a unified European policy, stating it would have been easy to delay action, but insisted the challenge required immediate attention. The Greek government has maintained that it will not wait for the European Commission to act before enforcing domestic protections.

To comply with the new rules, social media services are required to implement reliable and proportionate age-verification methods. Should platforms fail to adhere to these regulations, they risk facing fines established under the European Union's Digital Services Act.

For parents, the law facilitates access to specific state-backed applications designed to manage their child's digital activity. Services like Kids Wallet or Gov.gr are paired with a child's device to block unauthorized access. According to Papastergiou, these tools utilize "age tokens" to confirm a user's eligibility while minimizing the collection of personal data.

The legislative process saw significant division within the country's political landscape. Minority parties opposed the measure, forcing Prime Minister Mitsotakis to rely on his majority government to secure the bill's passage.

Despite this opposition, public sentiment appears aligned with the government's policy. Opinion polls indicate that the social media ban for minors enjoys widespread support among the adult population. This action follows a previous government initiative in 2024 that banned mobile phone use in schools.

Looking ahead, Greece aims to serve as a catalyst for broader change across the continent. Mitsotakis previously stated that his government's objective is to push the European Union in a similar direction. While the European Commission has introduced the EU Kids Act, it currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under 13, whereas Australia was the first nation to enact a full ban for children, though age verification there has faced implementation challenges.