Greece Enacts Social Media Ban For Kids Under 15

Greece has introduced a law forbidding children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms starting from January 1, 2027. The law mandates social media platforms to establish dependable age verification systems and obligates parents to employ state-approved applications to limit access, with penalties for non-compliance under the European Union's Digital Services Act.

According to Engadget, "It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law. But the challenge is here. Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do" said Greece's digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou.

The bill faced opposition from Greece's minority parties, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis utilized his majority government to pass it. Greece previously prohibited mobile phones in schools in 2024, and a recent opinion poll suggests that the new social media ban for children is supported by the majority of Greece's adult population.

Mitsotakis has previously expressed his intention to push the European Union in this direction as well.