Greece bans social media for children under 15: new law takes effect in 2027

Greece has passed a law that will keep children under 15 off social media starting next year. The law, which was announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier this year, is now official and will take effect on January 1, 2027. It covers major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, and requires these services to use reliable age-verification methods. The law is part of a broader effort to protect children from the internet, as Greece previously banned mobile phones in schools in 2024, and public opinion supports the new measure.

The law was passed by a majority government, despite opposition from minority parties. The minister for digital governance and AI, Dimitris Papastergiou, said that the law is difficult but necessary, and that responsible government must act when the challenge is present. He explained that children are increasingly using the internet, and that a government must do what it is obliged to do in such cases. The law will impose fines on social media companies that fail to comply, under the EU's Digital Services Act.

To enforce the law, parents will need to use state-backed apps like Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which are paired with their child's device to block access. These apps are designed to protect privacy and minimize data collection by using age tokens, which confirm someone's age without revealing much personal data. The law was widely supported by Greece's adult population, as shown in opinion polls. Mitsotakis said that the government's goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act to regulate social media for children, but that law only bans platforms for those under 13.

Australia was the first nation to pass a full social media ban for kids, but implementing age verification has proved challenging. Greece's law is among the first to be imposed in the European Union, and it shows that the government is taking a proactive approach to protecting children from the internet. The new law will take effect in 2027, and it is expected to have a significant impact on the use of social media by children in the country.