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Greece is preparing to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 15 as part of a broader strategy to curb digital addiction and protect minors online.
According to Greek media reports, the proposed law would impose a universal prohibition on access to social media platforms for all minors under 15 residing in Greece, regardless of nationality.
For teenagers aged 15 to 18, the plan introduces strict restrictions rather than a full ban.
The initiative follows similar moves in Australia and comes as several European countries and Türkiye advance comparable measures.
Under the government’s plan, children under 15 would not be allowed to:
The ban would apply without exception, including parental consent. Guardians would be responsible for activating a national age verification tool on all devices used by the child.
For minors aged 15 to 18, the proposal would require mandatory age verification before creating an account. Once verified, “teen account settings” would automatically apply.
These would include:
The regulation would target platforms that allow account creation, content posting, interaction such as comments and messages, and algorithmic content promotion.
Reports indicate that it may apply to any digital platform with over 100,000 active users in Greece.
Unlike Australia, where platforms carry the primary responsibility for verifying users’ ages, Greece plans to enforce the ban at the device level.
The system would rely on Kids Wallet, a national age verification application that is already operational. Guardians would activate the app on smartphones, tablets and laptops used by minors. The system would then automatically verify age and restrict access to prohibited platforms.
Greek authorities describe this as a “source-based” approach, meaning enforcement would begin at the device rather than relying solely on platform-level checks.
According to the reports, the system would use multi-factor verification, including
Officials argue that this combination would render simple VPN use ineffective.
Social media companies would be required to integrate Kids Wallet verification into their registration processes. Existing users would reportedly face a new verification requirement within a set deadline, after which accounts could be locked.
The proposed framework would also extend beyond mainstream social networks.
The following platforms would fall under the same protective regime for minors:
The focus remains on platforms built around algorithmic feeds, endless scrolling, short videos and continuous interaction features such as likes, reels and stories. Greek reports cite international studies linking these design features to a higher risk of addictive behavior among minors.
The Greek government has held discussions with European authorities and social media platforms.
Some major technology companies reportedly expressed willingness to cooperate in developing age restriction tools.
The plan aligns with broader European efforts. At least eight countries, including France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands and Norway, are promoting similar measures.
The European Commission has also launched a pilot pan-European age verification tool as an interim solution before the full rollout of the EU Digital Identity Wallet.
In November, the European Parliament approved a resolution supporting mandatory age verification and parental controls for minors under 16 accessing social media.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue of protecting minors’ mental health from addictive digital behavior during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024.
Later that year, the government presented a national strategy on protecting minors from internet addiction.
According to Greek reports, opinion polls show around 80% public support for the measure, although 57% of respondents believe children may still attempt to bypass restrictions.
The timing of the official announcement remains unclear.
Government sources state that the technical solution is already in place and that mandatory compliance could enter into force after a short transitional period.
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