Greece Bans Social Media for Minors

As of today, Greece has officially cemented its plan to restrict social media access for young people. The legislation, which has now passed the parliament, sets a clear boundary for minors under the age of 15. This move marks a significant shift in how the country manages digital access for its youth, with the rules slated to take full effect on January 1, 2027.

The new regulations specifically target major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Under the law, these services are mandated to implement age-verification methods that are both proportionate and reliable. This ensures that platforms cannot simply rely on self-reported ages but must use more robust systems to confirm the identity of their users.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, emphasized the urgency of the situation. He noted that while waiting for a perfect European law would have been easier, the reality is that children are increasingly immersed in the internet. He stated that a responsible government must act when it is clear that young people are sinking into the digital world daily.

Enforcement of these new rules will fall under the EU's Digital Services Act. If platforms fail to comply, they face potential fines. To assist parents, the state will provide specific applications known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps will be paired with a child’s device to block access to restricted platforms, ensuring compliance at the household level.

Privacy remains a central concern in the implementation of these tools. According to Papastergiou, the state-backed apps are designed to minimize data collection. They utilize a system of 'age tokens' which allows for age confirmation while limiting the amount of personal data disclosed, aiming to balance security with user privacy.

The path to passing this bill was not without political friction. Minority parties opposed the measure, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis leveraged his majority government to push the legislation through. Mitsotakis had previously described the bill as difficult but necessary, signaling his administration's commitment to the reform despite internal disagreements.

This national decision follows a trend of stricter digital policies in Greece, which banned mobile phones in schools back in 2024. Current opinion polls indicate that the adult population of Greece largely supports this new social media ban, suggesting a broad consensus on the need for parental and governmental oversight.

The Greek government hopes this national move will influence the broader European Union. Mitsotakis stated that the goal is to push the EU in the same direction. While the European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, that proposed legislation only mandates an outright ban for children under 13. Greece’s stricter age limit of 15 positions it as a pioneer in the region, following Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full ban but has faced challenges with age verification.