Greece Passes Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
- Greece’s parliament approved a new law early Friday banning children under 15 from accessing major social media platforms starting Jan.
- The legislation passed with votes solely from the ruling center-right New Democracy party.
- Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that technology companies have two months and a half to develop age-verification systems that also protect user privacy.
Greece’s parliament approved a new law early Friday banning children under 15 from accessing major social media platforms starting Jan. 1, 2027. The legislation targets platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok in an effort to curb continuous scrolling and protect minors from sleep deprivation and lost concentration.
Parliamentary Vote and Political Divide Over Access Restrictions
The legislation passed with votes solely from the ruling center-right New Democracy party. The main opposition party, PASOK, abstained from the vote, while the remaining opposition parties voted against the measure.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that technology companies have two months and a half to develop age-verification systems that also protect user privacy. Greece is currently among seven European Union countries working alongside the European Commission to find a standardized solution for age verification.
Age Verification Technology and Exemptions for Minors
The ban applies strictly to designated social media platforms rather than general internet use, educational resources, or digital communication services. Technology companies will carry the responsibility for enforcing the minimum age requirement rather than forcing parents to monitor every online interaction.
Platforms will be required to confirm whether a user meets the age threshold by utilizing a digital token that avoids transmitting personal identity details. Mechanisms such as Greece’s existing Kids Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet applications could serve as verification tools, though no single application is mandatory.
International Precedents and European Regulatory Context
Greece’s decision follows a wave of international restrictions aimed at youth digital safety. Australia became the first country to implement a nationwide social media ban for children under 16 in December 2025.
Other European nations are pursuing varied restrictions, including Denmark’s proposed ban for children under 15 and Spain’s under-16 restriction. Meanwhile, France approved a similar ban for under-15s in July 2026, only to have its central provision struck down by the country’s Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, 2026, for infringing on freedom of expression. At the EU level, the European Commission introduced the proposed EU KIDS Act on Sept. 17, 2026, to establish common rules for minor access and platform design.