Greece Sets a New Global Standard by Banning Under-15s From Social Media

Beginning on January 1, 2027, a significant shift in digital regulation will take hold in Greece as the country officially enforces a ban on social media usage for children under the age of fifteen. This legislative milestone marks one of the first instances of such a strict measure being implemented within the European Union, signaling a broader potential trend for the continent. The law mandates that major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, must adopt proportionate and reliable age-verification methods to ensure compliance with the new rules.

The path to this legislation began earlier this year when Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first proposed the measure. He described the bill as "difficult but necessary," acknowledging the complexity of regulating the digital space while emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The move reflects a growing governmental concern over the increasing amount of time young people spend online and the potential impacts on their development.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, articulated the government's rationale for acting unilaterally before a broader European consensus was reached. "It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law. But the challenge is here. Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do," Papastergiou stated, highlighting the immediate need for protection over the convenience of waiting for continental standards.

Enforcement of the law will be overseen through the EU's Digital Services Act, which provides the framework for imposing fines on non-compliant platforms. To assist families, the legislation requires parents to download specific state-backed applications, such as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which are paired with their child's devices to block unauthorized access. These tools are designed to protect user privacy by utilizing "age tokens," a mechanism that confirms a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed to third parties.

Despite the bill being opposed by minority parties in parliament, the measure was successfully passed thanks to the majority held by Mitsotakis's government. This action follows a previous 2024 decision to bar mobile phones from classrooms, indicating a sustained effort by the Greek state to manage the intersection of technology and youth. Opinion polls suggest that this new social media ban enjoys widespread support among the adult population in Greece.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis has expressed a desire to see the European Union adopt similar standards, stating that his government's goal is to push the bloc in this direction. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aims to address these concerns but currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of thirteen. Greece's move thus sets a stricter precedent within the region.

International observers are watching Greece's implementation closely, as it follows the lead of Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children. However, Australia has faced significant challenges in implementing effective age verification, a hurdle that Greek officials hope to overcome with their specific technological solutions. The coming months will serve as a critical test for the reliability of these new verification systems.

As the deadline approaches, platform providers and parents in Greece are preparing for the transition. The success of this initiative will likely influence how other nations and supranational bodies approach the regulation of minors in the digital age, potentially reshaping the landscape of online safety for years to come.