Greece Implements National Social Media Ban for Under-15s

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has led Greece’s parliament in passing a sweeping legislative package that prohibits children under the age of 15 from using major social media platforms. This move marks a significant shift in digital governance, positioning the country as one of the first in the European Union to codify such restrictions into national law. The legislation is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, establishing a clear regulatory timeline for tech companies and families alike.

The new statute specifically targets popular services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. It mandates that these platforms implement proportionate and reliable age-verification methods to ensure compliance. By setting the threshold at 15, the law extends protections beyond the age limits proposed in some other regional frameworks, aiming to shield a broader demographic of young users from the complexities of social networking.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, emphasized the urgency of the measure. He noted that while waiting for a unified European regulation would have been simpler, the current situation demands immediate action. Papastergiou stated that children are increasingly immersed in the internet, and he believes a responsible government must fulfill its obligation to protect them. He described the legislation as "difficult but necessary," a sentiment echoed by the prime minister who first announced the initiative earlier in the year.

Compliance with the new law will be enforced through the EU’s Digital Services Act, which provides a framework for fining non-compliant platforms. To assist families, the state will introduce mobile applications known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. Parents will be required to download these apps and pair them with their children's devices. These tools are designed to block access to social media while protecting user privacy. The apps utilize "age tokens" to verify a user's age without requiring the disclosure of extensive personal data, a feature highlighted by Papastergiou as a key component of the privacy strategy.

The bill faced opposition from minority parties in the Greek parliament. However, Prime Minister Mitsotakis leveraged his majority to ensure the legislation’s passage. This follows a 2024 decision by the nation to ban mobile phones in schools, indicating a broader governmental trend toward limiting digital distractions and exposure for students. Recent opinion polls suggest that the adult population in Greece widely supports this new social media ban, reflecting a growing consensus on the need for stricter digital boundaries for minors.

Mitsotakis has stated that the government’s broader objective is to encourage the European Union to adopt similar measures. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aims to address these issues at a supranational level. However, that proposed law stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of 13. Greece’s move to set the age limit at 15 suggests a more protective stance than the current EU proposal.

The implementation of such bans is not without precedent, though challenges remain. Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children, but the country has found the technical aspects of age verification to be difficult to execute effectively. Greece’s new law acknowledges these hurdles by mandating "proportionate" methods, suggesting a flexible approach to verification that balances security with user experience. As the January 2027 deadline approaches, tech platforms will need to adjust their systems to meet these new Greek standards.

For readers in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, this development signals a potential shift in how digital products are regulated globally. While the law applies to Greece, it may influence how platforms design their age-gating features for international markets. The use of state-backed apps and age tokens could become a model for other regions looking to balance parental control with data privacy. The coming months will be critical in determining how effectively these tools function in practice.