Greece bans social media access for children under 15

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 14:16 · Archive

Greece has passed legislation banning social media access for children under 15, to take effect on 1 January 2027.

Greece's parliament has passed legislation banning social media access for children under 15. The law will take effect on 1 January 2027 and will require social media platforms to verify users' ages and impose penalties for non-compliance.

The bill was passed by majority vote on Thursday with support only from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's New Democracy party. Opposition parties SYRIZA, Greek Solution, KKE, Niki and Freedom Course voted against it, whilst PASOK abstained. The socialist PASOK party had proposed an alternative that would have banned social media for under-13s and introduced parental controls for 13- and 14-year-olds instead.

Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou defended the measure as "necessary, effective, proportionate and EU-law-compliant". He compared it to existing age limits on alcohol and tobacco sales, and said the government could not wait for Brussels to pass "the perfect European law". Papastergiou said social media platforms would have until 1 January to determine whether accounts are intended for adults or children.

Proponents argue the ban will curb the "endless scrolling" that damages children's sleep, attention span and ability to concentrate, and keeps them from outdoor activities and spending time with friends. Papastergiou defended the use of an app known as "Kid's Wallet" as a verification method, saying it had been established according to EU technical specifications.

Greece joins about 20 countries worldwide that have restricted minors' access to social media. Australia, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Austria, Denmark and the United Kingdom are among those that have either introduced or plan similar restrictions. Critics warn that excessive social media use employs addictive algorithms that damage children's mental health, though some question how effectively bans can be enforced.

How it is being reported

• Greece enacts social media ban for kids under 15Greece has passed a social media ban for kids under 15 after after announcing the measure earlier this year.Engadget · 23 Oct, 14:12
• Inside Australia's social media ban for children | Sunday on 60 MinutesLast year, Australia became the first country in the world to force many social media companies to prevent children from having accounts. There are high stakes for children as well as big tech's bottom line. Holly Williams reports Sunday on 60 Minutes.CBS News · 23 Oct, 14:02
• Greece joins push to ban social media for minorsA growing number of countries are tightening rules governing children's online activity amid fears of addiction.Al Jazeera · 23 Oct, 13:55
• Greece joins countries putting age-limits on social media, banning access for kids under 15Greece has passed legislation banning social media access for children under 15. New rules will come into effect on January 1, 2027, and are designed to protect children's mental health.DW News · 23 Oct, 10:04

In this story: Greece · Kyriakos Mitsotakis · New Democracy · Dimitris Papastergiou · Australia · European Union

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem