Greece passes law banning under-15s from social networks

Greece has officially enacted a legislative ban on social media use for children under the age of fifteen. The measure, which received final approval from parliament, is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. This makes the country one of the first in the European Union to implement such a specific age restriction on digital access for minors.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis originally proposed the initiative earlier in the year. He described the bill as difficult but necessary for the nation's digital future. The legislation targets major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These services are now mandated to implement reliable and proportionate methods for verifying user age to ensure compliance with the new standard.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, defended the timing of the law. He stated that doing nothing would have been easy, but the current situation demands action. Papastergiou noted that children are increasingly immersed in the internet daily and that a responsible government must fulfill its obligations in this area.

The law establishes clear consequences for non-compliance. Platforms that fail to meet the requirements will face fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Additionally, parents will be required to use state-backed applications, specifically Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which pair with their children’s devices to block access. Papastergiou explained that these apps use age tokens to confirm a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed, thereby protecting privacy.

The legislative process was not without controversy. Minority parties in Greece opposed the bill, but the ruling majority government succeeded in passing the measure. This follows a 2024 decision to ban mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls indicate that the new social media restrictions are widely supported by the adult population in the country.

Mitsotakis has stated that the government aims to encourage the European Union to follow a similar path. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act, though that proposal currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under thirteen. Australia remains the first nation to enact a full social media ban for young users, although the country has faced challenges in implementing effective age verification systems.

The new Greek law represents a significant shift in how the nation manages digital access for its youth. With the effective date approaching in early 2027, platform providers will have a limited window to adjust their verification technologies. The implementation of these state-backed parental control apps will also mark a new phase in the relationship between families and digital services.