Greece Youth Media Law: Under-15 Ban Starts Next Year
Greece becomes one of the first EU nations to legally block children under 15 from major social media platforms beginning January 2027.
By Jian Chen ·
Greece has officially enacted a law that bans children under the age of 15 from using major social media platforms. The measure takes effect on January 1, 2027. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced this policy earlier this year. His parliament has now passed the bill into law.
This legislation marks a significant step for the European Union. Greece is among the first countries in the bloc to impose such a restriction. The rule applies to popular services like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms must now use reliable and proportionate methods to verify the age of their users.
Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, defended the decision. He noted that doing nothing would have been easy. However, he argued that the challenge is present now. He stated that children are sinking into the internet every day. In his view, a responsible government must act.
The law includes strict penalties for non-compliance. Platforms that fail to follow the rules face fines under the EU's Digital Services Act. Parents will also have a specific role in enforcing the ban. They must download state-backed applications called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr.
These apps pair with a child's device to block access to social media. Papastergiou explained that the tools are designed to protect privacy. They use age tokens to confirm a user's age. This method minimizes the collection of personal data.
The path to passage was not without political friction. Minority parties in Greece opposed the legislation. However, Mitsotakis used his majority government to push the bill through. This follows a 2024 decision to ban mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls show that the adult population in Greece widely supports the new social media restrictions.
Mitsotakis has said his government aims to push the entire EU in this direction. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act. That proposed law would ban social media only for children under 13. Greece's new law sets a higher age limit at 15.
Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for kids. However, implementing age verification there has proven difficult. Greece now moves forward with its own framework. The law is set to change how young users access the digital world starting next year.
Source: Engadget
