Mitsotakis Leads Greece in New Under-15 Social Media Ban

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has secured a new law in Greece that blocks children under 15 from using major social media platforms. The measure becomes active on January 1, 2027. This places Greece at the forefront of European digital regulation. The legislation targets popular services like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms must now use reliable methods to verify user age.

The path to this law began earlier this year when the prime minister first proposed the restriction. He described the decision as difficult but necessary for the country. The bill faced opposition from minority parties in the parliament. However, Mitsotakis relied on his majority government to push the measure through. This follows a 2024 rule that already banned mobile phones in Greek schools. Recent polls indicate that most adults in the country support this new step.

Greece’s minister for digital governance and AI, Dimitris Papastergiou, defended the move. He noted that doing nothing was an easy option. But he argued that the government has a duty to act. He stated that children are sinking into the internet every day. Papastergiou emphasized that a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do. He warned against waiting for a perfect European law to solve the problem.

The new rules require strict compliance from tech companies. If platforms fail to follow the act, they face fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Parents will also play a key role in enforcement. They must download specific state-backed apps called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These applications pair with a child’s device to block access. Papastergiou explained that these tools are designed to protect privacy. They use age tokens to confirm a child's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed.

This national law is part of a broader push for regional standards. Mitsotakis has said his government wants to drive the European Union in the same direction. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act to address similar issues. However, that proposed law only mandates an outright ban for children under 13. Greece’s new threshold is higher, covering those under 15. The country is following in the footsteps of Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full ban for kids. Australia has found that implementing age verification remains a significant challenge.

The law takes effect at the start of next year. It represents a major shift in how the country manages young people's digital lives. The focus is on making platforms responsible for verifying who is online. Parents will need to stay involved through the new mobile applications. The government hopes this balance of strict rules and parental tools will protect children. It also aims to reduce the amount of personal data collected from minors. The coming months will show how effectively the age verification systems work in practice.