Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15

Greece's parliament has enacted a law prohibiting children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms, following a robust parliamentary debate. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had previously announced plans for the ban in April, via a TikTok video where he articulated the "difficult but necessary" nature of the measure.

Despite opposition from various parties, the conservative New Democracy party, which holds a parliamentary majority, secured the passage of the bill. Notably, the opposition socialist PASOK party abstained from the vote, seeking an alternate legislation that would have restricted social media access for under-13s and introduced parental controls for 13- and 14-year-olds.

The remaining left-wing and nationalist parties voted against the proposal. The new legislation, slated to commence on January 1, mandates age verification for social media users and imposes stringent penalties on companies that disregard these regulations. Australia was the first nation to introduce a similar social media ban for children in the previous year, restricting access for users under the age of 16.

Over 20 countries have since enacted comparable laws, as per an AFP count. Critics argue that social networks employ addictive algorithms to maintain children's prolonged engagement with their platforms, warning that excessive usage could negatively impact mental health. However, these bans have been met with resistance from advocates of free speech, and detractors question the effectiveness of such measures.