Greece bans social media for children under 15, effective January 2027

New Social Media Restrictions in Greece

Greece's parliament has enacted a law prohibiting children under 15 from accessing social media platforms. This legislation, announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2027. It applies to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Age Verification and Parental Controls

The new law mandates that social media services implement proportionate and reliable age-verification methods. Additionally, parents will be required to download state-backed applications, such as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which will pair with their child's device to block access. These apps are designed to protect privacy by using "age tokens" to confirm age without extensive personal data disclosure.

Rationale and Enforcement

Digital Governance and AI Minister Dimitris Papastergiou stated the law is a necessary step to address children's online safety, rather than waiting for a comprehensive European law. Non-compliance with the act will result in fines under the EU's Digital Services Act. The legislation passed despite opposition from minority parties, supported by Mitsotakis's majority government and public opinion polls.

Broader European Context

Greece's move is one of the first such bans within the European Union. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has expressed a goal to encourage the EU to adopt similar measures. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which proposes an outright ban for children under 13, indicating a broader trend towards stricter online protections for minors across the continent.