Greece passes new law to block social media for children under 15

Greece has officially enacted a comprehensive ban on social media use for children under the age of 15. The legislation, which was approved by the country's parliament, represents a significant regulatory step for the European Union. It mandates that major digital platforms implement strict age verification protocols to ensure compliance. The law is set to become active on January 1, 2027, giving service providers time to adjust their systems.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis initially proposed this measure earlier in the year. He described the bill as difficult but necessary for the well-being of young citizens. The new regulation applies to popular services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms will be required to use methods that are both proportionate and reliable to confirm the age of their users.

The timeline for this policy began with the prime minister's announcement earlier this year. Following that, the bill moved through the legislative process. Greece's minority parties opposed the measure, but the ruling majority government secured the passage of the bill. The nation had previously taken a similar step in 2024 by banning mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls indicate that a large portion of the adult population supports this new restriction on children's online access.

The implementation of the law involves specific tools for parents. Families will be required to download state backed applications known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps will pair with a child's device to block access to social media platforms. Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, explained that these tools are designed to protect privacy. They utilize age tokens to verify a user's age while minimizing the collection of personal data.

Non compliance with the new act will result in financial penalties. The fines will be assessed under the framework of the EU's Digital Services Act. This ensures that the national law aligns with broader European regulatory standards. The system aims to balance user privacy with the need for effective age verification mechanisms.

Papastergiou emphasized the urgency of the government's action during the legislative debate. He stated that it would have been easy to do nothing and wait for a perfect European law. However, he argued that the challenge is present and that children are increasingly immersed in the internet. He concluded that a responsible government must fulfill its obligation to act in this situation.

The Greek government aims to influence the broader European Union on this issue. Mitsotakis stated that the goal is to push the EU in the same direction. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act to address similar concerns. However, that proposed law currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of 13. Greece's new threshold of 15 is therefore more expansive than the current EU proposal.

Greece is among the first countries in the European Union to impose such a ban. Australia was the first nation globally to enact a full social media ban for children. However, the Australian experience has highlighted the difficulties of implementing age verification systems. Greece seeks to refine these methods through its new digital tools and regulatory requirements.

Looking ahead, the focus will shift to the technical implementation of the age token system. Platform operators must prepare their verification methods before the effective date. Parents will need to familiarize themselves with the new state apps to manage their children's access. The law represents a significant shift in how European nations are approaching digital child safety.

The next phase of this process will involve monitoring compliance and gathering data on the effectiveness of the ban. The government intends to use this experience to inform future digital policies. As January 1, 2027, approaches, the attention of both regulators and tech companies will turn to the practical application of these new rules in Greece.