Greece Social Media Ban Becomes Law
Greece has officially passed a Greece social media ban for children under 15, making it one of the first European Union countries to impose such a restriction. The law was approved by parliament after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced the measure earlier this year.
The Greece social media ban is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. It applies to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Mitsotakis described the bill as “difficult but necessary.” The vote followed debate over how best to protect children online while respecting privacy and free access to information.
What the New Law Requires
Under the legislation, social media services must apply “proportionate and reliable age-verification methods” to prevent children under 15 from accessing their platforms. Companies that fail to comply will face fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The bill was opposed by Greece’s minority parties, so Mitsotakis used his majority government to pass it. The measure passed despite concerns raised during parliamentary debate about enforcement and the burden placed on families.
Greece’s digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, defended the move in strong terms.
“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 said.
How Age Verification Will Work
Parents will need to download state-backed apps called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which are paired to their child’s device and block access to covered platforms.
According to Papastergiou, these apps are designed to protect privacy and minimize data collection. They use “age tokens” that can confirm someone’s age while minimizing the disclosure of their personal data.
This approach aims to verify age without requiring children to hand over full identity details to each platform. The government says the goal is to keep the verification process simple for parents while limiting how much personal information is shared.
Public Support and Earlier Restrictions
The Greece social media ban follows the nation’s 2024 prohibition of mobile phones in schools. Opinion polls show that the new restriction on children’s social media use is widely supported by Greece’s adult population.
That backing gave the government confidence to move ahead, even as other EU members wait for a coordinated approach. The measure builds on a broader push to reduce screen time and online risks for young people.
Greece Pushes for EU-Wide Action
Mitsotakis has previously said his government’s “goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well.”
The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act to do just that, but that law stipulates an outright ban only for children under 13. Greece’s law goes further by covering all children under 15.
Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for kids, but age verification has proved challenging to implement there. Greece will be watching those lessons closely as it prepares its own rollout.
What Happens Next
The January 1, 2027 start date gives platforms and families time to prepare for the new age-verification requirements. Social media companies will need to adapt their systems to meet the Greek standard or risk penalties under EU rules.
For parents, the coming months will involve downloading the state-backed apps and linking them to their children’s devices. For platforms, the focus will be on building verification tools that satisfy regulators without collecting excessive data.
The Greece social media ban stands as one of the strictest child online safety measures in the European Union so far. Whether other member states follow Greece’s lead will likely shape the next phase of the debate over children’s digital lives across Europe.
