Greece sets the bar at 15 for new social media restrictions

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has secured a major legislative victory for his administration. The Greek parliament has officially passed a bill that bans children under the age of 15 from using social media. This move marks a significant shift in how the country manages digital access for its youngest citizens. The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

This legislation is among the first of its kind in the European Union. It applies to major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. The core requirement is that these services must implement age verification methods that are both reliable and proportionate. Mitsotakis described the bill as difficult but necessary during its initial announcement earlier this year.

The motivation behind the ban is rooted in concerns about youth well-being. Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, argued that inaction was no longer an option. He noted that it would have been easy to wait for a perfect European law, but the challenge is immediate. Papastergiou stated that children are sinking into the internet every day, and a responsible government must act.

The mechanics of enforcement rely on a mix of platform compliance and parental tools. Companies that fail to adhere to the new rules will face fines under the EU's Digital Services Act. Additionally, parents will be required to download state-backed applications. These apps, known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, must be paired with the child's device to block access when necessary.

Privacy is a central concern in the design of these enforcement tools. The apps utilize age tokens to verify a user's age. This technology is intended to minimize the amount of personal data disclosed while still confirming eligibility. Papastergiou emphasized that the design prioritizes privacy protection during this verification process.

The path to passing the bill was not without political friction. Minority parties in parliament opposed the measure. However, Mitsotakis leveraged his government's majority to push the legislation through. This follows a broader trend in the country, as Greece previously banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Current opinion polls suggest that the adult population widely supports the new social media restrictions.

The Greek government views its move as a strategic push for the wider region. Mitsotakis has stated that the goal is to influence the European Union to follow suit. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aims to address similar issues. However, that proposed law currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of 13.

Greece is not the first nation to attempt such a ban, but its approach offers a different perspective. Australia was the first country to enact a full social media ban for kids. That initiative has faced challenges in implementing age verification effectively. Greece's new law, with its specific focus on the under-15 demographic and state-backed apps, represents a distinct attempt to solve the same problem with a slightly different toolset.

As the implementation date approaches, the focus will turn to the practical details. Parents will need to familiarize themselves with the new apps, and platforms will need to finalize their verification systems. The success of the law will depend on how smoothly these elements come together in the coming months.