Greece Blocks Under-15s From Social Apps

Greek teenagers will soon need a digital passport to scroll.

The law is now official and will go into effect on January 1, 2027.

Greece's parliament has passed a social media ban for kids under 15. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced the measure earlier this year. He called the bill "difficult but necessary." It is among the first such laws in the European Union. The new rules cover platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These services must use proportionate and reliable age-verification methods.

Minister Dimitris Papastergiou spoke on the decision. He is the minister for digital governance and AI. He said it would have been easy to do nothing. He noted that waiting for a perfect European law was an option. But he argued the challenge is present now. He said children are sinking into the internet every day. He believes a responsible government must act. He stated that the state is obliged to do this.

Platforms that fail to comply will face fines. These fines fall under the EU's Digital Services Act. Parents will also have a new role. They must download specific apps to block access. The state backs apps called Kids Wallet and Gov.gr. These apps pair with the child's device. Papastergiou explained how these apps protect privacy. They use "age tokens" to confirm age. This method minimizes the disclosure of personal data.

Opposition parties in Greece fought the legislation. Mitsotakis used his majority government to pass the bill. This follows a 2024 move to bar mobile phones in schools. Opinion polls show strong support among adults. The general public backs the new social media ban for children.

Mitsotakis has a broader goal for his government. He wants to push the European Union in this direction. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act. That law stipulates an outright ban only for children under 13. Greece's new law sets a higher age limit. It targets those under fifteen. This makes it stricter than the upcoming EU standard.

Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban. It served as a precedent for this move. However, Australia's experience highlighted a key issue. Age verification proved challenging to implement there. Greece is now testing its own approach to this complex problem. The focus is on reliable and proportionate methods. This aims to solve the verification hurdle.

The stakes are high for digital privacy. The law balances access with protection. It relies on technology to enforce the age limit. Parents play an active monitoring role. The government provides the tools for this. The goal is to shield young users. This happens without excessive data collection. The system uses tokens rather than full profiles. This design minimizes the digital footprint of minors.

Implementation begins at the start of next year. January 1, 2027, is the deadline for compliance. Platforms must have their systems ready by then. The transition period allows for adjustments. It gives families time to set up the necessary apps. The law represents a significant shift in policy. It moves the burden of verification onto the services. It also involves the state in the digital lives of children. This marks a new era for online access in Greece.