Greece Considers Banning Social Media Anonymity to Curb Hoaxes

Greek authorities are considering a ban on online anonymity to prevent the spread of hate speech and hoaxes by anonymous users, according to the country’s Digital Governance Minister, Dimitris Papastergiou.

Speaking on April 28, 2026, Papastergiou indicated that the government is seeking ways to require social media platforms to verify the identities of their account holders to curb online toxicity.

The major problem behind anonymity is toxicity—anyone, especially on social media, can smear an individual and carry out character assassination without facing any consequences. We must find a way to require platforms to verify the identity of accounts.

Dimitris Papastergiou, Digital Governance Minister

The minister stated that the proposal has been under discussion by the government for several months and is currently being reviewed at the highest levels of administration, including the office of the Prime Minister.

Digital Democracy and Verification

Papastergiou suggested that the development of a new form of digital democracy should be inspired by Ancient Greece, where individuals could openly express their views and share opinions.

While noting that several technical solutions exist to verify user identities, the minister acknowledged a conflict between government goals and the business models of social media platforms. He argued that while platforms prefer maintaining billions of anonymous accounts to sustain their operations, the government has a responsibility to safeguard democracy and foster a public sphere from toxicity.

The move follows previous unsuccessful attempts by Greek law enforcement to identify anonymous users who were spreading slander and hate speech.

Clarification on Pseudonyms

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis clarified that the initiative is not intended to eliminate the use of pseudonyms or anonymity entirely.

Instead, the objective is to ensure that every account is connected to a verified individual, allowing for accountability while still permitting users to operate under names other than their legal identities.