Greece will prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media platforms beginning January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in a TikTok video message. The ban targets what officials describe as the addictive design of digital platforms that contribute to rising anxiety and sleep disorders among young people.
The restriction positions Greece among a growing number of nations implementing age-based social media controls. Australia became the first country to require platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to remove accounts held by under-16s or face heavy fines. France, Austria, and Spain are pursuing similar measures.
Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece — BBC
Mitsotakis emphasized that the goal is not to distance youth from technology entirely, but to limit exposure to platforms designed to maximize screen time and user engagement. The government will present legislation to parliament this summer, accompanied by enforcement mechanisms including the KidsWallet application for parental controls and age verification.
The Greek initiative extends beyond national borders. Mitsotakis has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposing a unified EU framework with mandatory age verification across all platforms and periodic re-checking of user ages every six months.
The BBC frames this as part of a broader European trend toward digital regulation, emphasizing the mental health justifications while noting industry opposition. Their coverage positions the UK as actively considering similar measures, reflecting Britain's alignment with European digital policy despite Brexit.
Infobae emphasizes the technical aspects of enforcement and the push for EU harmonization, presenting this as a measured regulatory response to digital addiction. Their framing reflects Latin American interest in European digital governance models as potential templates for regional policy.
Heise Online focuses on the technical implementation and enforcement challenges, reflecting German concerns about digital sovereignty and the effectiveness of age verification systems. Their coverage emphasizes the irony of announcing the ban via TikTok while questioning practical enforcement mechanisms.
Indian media frames Greece's social media ban as part of a broader global regulatory movement, positioning it alongside Australia's similar measures to suggest an emerging international consensus on digital governance. This framing reflects India's own complex relationship with social media regulation and its interest in observing how democratic nations balance child protection with digital rights.
Middle Eastern outlets present Greece's ban through a lens of state authority over digital spaces, emphasizing the government's decisive action in protecting youth from harmful online influences. This framing resonates with regional perspectives that view strong governmental oversight of digital platforms as legitimate and necessary for social stability.
Turkish media coverage emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Greece's regulatory approach, framing it as a 'sweeping ban' that demonstrates European willingness to challenge Big Tech's influence over children. This perspective reflects Turkey's own tensions with social media platforms and its interest in seeing European neighbors take assertive stances against Western tech companies.
But the addictive design of certain applications, and a business model based on capturing your attention - on how long you stay in front of a screen - takes away your innocence and your freedom. That has to stop somewhere.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece — BBC
The proposal calls for establishing 15 as the digital age of majority across the European Union's 27 member states. Greek officials argue that national measures alone prove insufficient for addressing what they characterize as a global challenge requiring coordinated response.
Social media companies have consistently opposed blanket age restrictions, arguing they are difficult to enforce and may isolate vulnerable teenagers who rely on online communities for support. Reddit is currently challenging Australia's similar law in court, reflecting broader industry resistance to age-based bans.
The timing reflects mounting evidence linking social media use to mental health problems among adolescents. A landmark US trial in March found Meta and YouTube liable for a woman's childhood addiction to social media, with jurors concluding the companies intentionally built addictive platforms that cause harm.
Greece's approach includes both restrictive measures and parental empowerment tools. The KidsWallet system will integrate with existing European digital frameworks, allowing parents to set usage limits while enabling authorities to verify compliance across platforms.
The UK government has launched consultations on implementing similar restrictions for under-16s, while Ireland and Denmark are considering comparable measures. The convergence suggests a broader shift in European digital policy toward protecting minors from commercial platform designs.