Greece to introduce social media ban for under-15s
dpaAthens Greece is set to become one of the first EU countries to ban children and young people under the age of 15 from accessing social media.The ban, which is due to come into...
Greece plans to become the first EU nation to ban social media access for children and teenagers under 15, with the measure set to become law on January 1, 2027. The decision was announced by State Minister Akis Skertsos alongside other government officials during a press conference in Athens. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had previously hinted at the impending ban on the social media platform TikTok in April.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis cited a survey of 2,500 students, revealing that a quarter of participants admitted to excessive social media use, while one in five reported feeling anxious, insecure, and experiencing concentration issues when deprived of their mobile devices. Digital Minister Dimitris Papastergiou indicated that breaches by platforms would face European monitoring and penalties, with potential fines up to 6% of a company's global annual revenue under the Digital Services Act.
The EU Kids Act, proposed in September, seeks to establish a uniform approach across the bloc to safeguard minors online. The legislation would prohibit social media use for individuals under 13 and require users to be at least 15 years old to create accounts. The European Parliament and member states are currently deliberating the proposed legislation.
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