Greece moves to block under-15s from social media starting next year

A significant shift in how European children access the digital world is set to take hold at the start of 2027. Greece has officially enacted legislation that prohibits individuals under the age of fifteen from using prominent social media platforms, marking a decisive move by the country to regulate online access for minors. The law, which enters into force on January 1, 2027, follows a proposal made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier in the year and stands as one of the first such mandates implemented within the European Union.

The core of the new regulation requires services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X to implement age-verification systems that are both reliable and proportionate to the data they collect. The government argues that waiting for a unified European framework would have been too slow given the current digital landscape. Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that while inaction might have been easier, the increasing immersion of children in the internet demands a responsible governmental response.

To ensure compliance, the legislation ties penalties to the existing EU Digital Services Act, meaning platforms that fail to meet the new standards could face fines. The system is designed to be privacy-conscious, utilizing what the government calls 'age tokens.' These digital markers are intended to confirm a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed, a feature highlighted by Minister Papastergiou as a key protective measure.

The enforcement mechanism relies heavily on parental involvement. Parents will be required to download state-backed applications, such as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, which must be paired with their child’s device to block unauthorized access. This technical requirement places a direct responsibility on families to manage their children's digital entry points, moving the burden of restriction partially away from the platforms and onto the household level.

The path to enactment was not without political friction. Minority parties in the Greek parliament opposed the bill, but the ruling majority was able to push the legislation through. This follows a broader trend in the country, which already banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Current opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece largely supports this new ban, suggesting a strong domestic mandate for the policy.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis has framed the Greek law as a stepping stone for the wider European Union, stating that the government aims to push the bloc in the same direction. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which proposes a similar but more limited restriction, banning social media access only for children under the age of thirteen. Greece’s decision to set the threshold at fifteen places it ahead of this proposed continental standard.

However, the success of the Greek model may hinge on the practical challenges of age verification. Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children, but the difficulty of implementing accurate age checks has proven to be a significant hurdle. As Greece prepares for the 2027 rollout, the effectiveness of its 'age token' system and the ease of parental app management will be closely watched as potential templates for other nations.

The upcoming law represents a tangible change in the daily lives of Greek teenagers and pre-teens. With the ban taking effect in three months, platforms and families alike will have a short window to adjust to the new requirements. The outcome of this early adopter approach could influence how other European countries navigate the balance between digital access and child protection in the coming years.