15: The New Age Limit for Greek Children's Social Media Access

For Greek families with children younger than fifteen, the way young people access the internet will change significantly at the start of the new year. Beginning January 1, 2027, a new national law will restrict social media usage for this demographic. The regulation requires major digital platforms to implement specific verification systems to ensure users meet the age requirement. This shift marks a formal change in how Greek households manage their children's online presence.

The legislation was officially enacted following a vote in the Greek parliament. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had initially proposed the measure earlier in the year. He described the bill as a difficult but necessary step for the nation. As one of the first such laws passed within the European Union, this move establishes a new standard for digital governance in the region. The law is set to take full effect in three months.

The new rules apply to prominent social media services, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms are mandated to use proportionate and reliable methods to verify the age of their users. The requirement aims to create a clearer boundary between child users and those who are older. This approach seeks to prevent younger children from easily accessing adult-oriented content on these networks.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, defended the timing of the law. He noted that it would have been simple for the government to do nothing and wait for a broader European law to arrive. However, he argued that the challenge is immediate. Papastergiou stated that children are sinking into the internet every day, and he believes a responsible government must act when it is obliged to do so.

Non-compliance with the new act will result in financial penalties under the existing European Union Digital Services Act. To help parents enforce the rules, the government requires the use of state-backed applications. Parents must download apps named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr and pair them with their child's device. These tools are designed to block access if the age verification is not met.

The state apps utilize age tokens to confirm a user's age. According to Papastergiou, this technology is designed to protect privacy by minimizing the amount of personal data collected. The system aims to verify identity without requiring users to share excessive personal information. This technical approach attempts to balance security with the need for privacy in digital spaces.

The bill faced opposition from minority parties in the parliament. However, Prime Minister Mitsotakis used his majority government to pass the legislation. This follows a previous national measure in 2024 that barred mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls indicate that the new social media ban is widely supported by the adult population in Greece.

The Greek government aims to influence the broader European landscape. Mitsotakis previously stated that his goal is to push the European Union in the same direction. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act to address similar issues. However, that proposed law stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of thirteen, which is younger than the cutoff set by Greece.

Greece is following a precedent set by Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children. While Australia's move was significant, the implementation of age verification has proved challenging. Greece's new law arrives as part of a growing global trend to regulate young people's online activities. The January 2027 deadline gives platforms time to adapt their systems before the rules become mandatory.