Greece Sets National Standard by Banning Social Media for Under-15s Starting Next Year

Greece has officially enacted a national ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, marking a significant shift in how the country regulates digital access for minors. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who initially proposed the measure earlier this year, has secured the final parliamentary approval. The legislation is set to take full effect on January 1, 2027, and applies to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Under the new rules, these services must implement reliable and proportionate age-verification methods to ensure compliance.

The move places Greece among the first nations in the European Union to impose such a restriction. While the European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, that framework currently mandates an outright ban only for children under 13. By setting the threshold at 15, Athens is adopting a stricter national standard ahead of broader continental legislation. Mitsotakis previously stated that his government aims to push the EU in this direction, using the national law as a catalyst for wider regional change.

Non-compliance with the new act will result in fines under the existing EU Digital Services Act. To aid enforcement, parents are required to download state-backed applications called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps must be paired with their child’s device to block access if the user is under the age limit. The system utilizes 'age tokens,' a technology designed by the government to confirm a user's age while minimizing the collection of personal data. This approach aims to protect privacy while ensuring robust verification.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, defended the legislation against critics who argued for waiting on a unified European solution. He noted that the challenge was immediate, stating that children were sinking into the internet every day. Papastergiou emphasized that a responsible government must act when obliged, rather than waiting for a perfect but distant European law. He described the bill as difficult but necessary, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

The path to passage was not without political friction. Minority parties in parliament opposed the bill, but Mitsotakis leveraged his majority government to push it through. The decision aligns with previous national efforts to limit digital distractions, as Greece banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Current opinion polls indicate that the new social media ban is widely supported by the adult population, suggesting strong public backing for the stricter digital environment.

The implementation follows a global trend in regulating youth online. Australia was the first country to enact a full social media ban for kids, though it has faced challenges in implementing effective age verification. Greece’s new law addresses these technical hurdles by mandating specific, reliable verification methods. As the new year approaches, the focus will shift to how effectively platforms can integrate these requirements and how parents navigate the new state-backed blocking applications.

Looking ahead, the primary focus will be on the technical rollout in the coming months. The government must ensure that the Kids Wallet and Gov.gr apps are user-friendly and secure before the January 2027 deadline. Meanwhile, the European Commission will likely monitor Greece’s experience closely, potentially using the outcomes to refine the broader EU Kids Act. The success of this national experiment could determine the future landscape of digital privacy and access for minors across Europe.