Greece Enforces Digital Age Limits for Children
Greek lawmakers have approved measures to keep children under 15 off major social platforms starting next year.
By Chioma Kim ·
Greece has passed a law barring children under the age of 15 from using major social networks. The bill was approved by parliament following a proposal from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. It is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2027. This makes Greece one of the first countries in the European Union to enact such a restriction.
The measure applies to well-known services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Platforms covered by the law must implement methods for verifying user age. These methods have to be reliable and proportionate to the task. The goal is to ensure that minors cannot simply bypass the restrictions.
Mitsotakis called the legislation 'difficult but necessary' when he first introduced it earlier this year. The prime minister has stated that his goal is to push the European Union to adopt similar rules across the block. The European Commission has introduced the EU Kids Act with this aim. However, that EU-level law sets a minimum age of 13 for an outright ban.
Greece's digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, defended the country's specific approach. He stated that it would have been easy to do nothing and wait for a perfect European law to be passed. He argued that a responsible government must act when children are sinking into the internet every day.
Parents who want to use the state-backed apps called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr must pair them with a child's device. This pairing blocks access to restricted platforms. Papastergiou said these apps are designed to protect privacy and minimize the data collected from users. The system uses 'age tokens' that confirm age without disclosing personal information.
The bill passed with the support of the majority government. Minority parties in Greece opposed the legislation. The country previously banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Opinion polls indicate that Greek adults broadly support the new social media restrictions for children.
Platforms that fail to follow the act will face penalties. Fines may be issued under the EU's Digital Services Act. Australia was the first nation to put a full social media ban for children into place. However, age verification has proven difficult to implement in that country.
Source: Engadget · original report published
