Athens Locks Out Teens Under 15 From Major Social Networks

One thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five days remain until Greek children under the age of fifteen lose legal access to major social media platforms. The Hellenic Parliament voted to approve the measure on October 23, 2026, marking a decisive shift in how the nation regulates youth digital life. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had signaled this move earlier in the year, framing it as a critical step for modern family dynamics. The new law takes effect on January 1, 2027, positioning Greece among the earliest European Union members to enforce such specific restrictions.

The legislation targets widespread services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Operators of these platforms must implement age-verification systems that are both reliable and proportionate to the user base. Digital Governance and AI Minister Dimitris Papastergiou argued against delaying action while waiting for broader continental standards. He noted that inaction was a simple choice, but the daily impact on children demanded a responsible government response. He believed the state had a duty to act immediately rather than waiting for perfect European legislation.

Non-compliance carries significant financial risks for tech giants. Fines will be levied under the existing EU Digital Services Act if companies fail to meet the new requirements. On the domestic front, the mechanism relies heavily on technology provided by the state. Parents are required to download specific applications, either Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, to pair with their children's devices. These tools function by blocking access to the restricted services, creating a digital barrier that requires parental oversight to bypass.

Privacy advocates have scrutinized the data collection practices of these new tools. Papastergiou defended the design, stating that the applications are built to limit data gathering. The system utilizes age tokens, a method intended to verify a person's age while disclosing minimal personal information. This approach aims to balance security with the need to keep user identities private from the platforms they are restricted from.

The political landscape of the vote revealed a divided house. Minority parties in the opposition rejected the bill, but Mitsotakis leveraged his government's majority to secure passage. This follows a 2024 decision to ban mobile phones in schools, indicating a consistent policy trajectory. Recent opinion polls suggest that Greek adults broadly support the new restriction, providing a solid democratic mandate for the executive branch.

Mitsotakis expressed a desire to influence the broader European regulatory framework. He stated that the government aims to push the entire Union toward similar standards. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which shares this protective goal. However, that proposal calls for an outright ban only for children under thirteen, a lower threshold than the Greek law. The Greek model may now serve as a test case for the continent.

Greece joins Australia in the vanguard of national bans. Australia was the first country to enact a full social media prohibition for children. The rollout there has faced significant hurdles in implementing age verification. Greece must now navigate these same technical challenges. Its unique strategy of using state-backed apps offers a potential solution, though it remains to be seen if this method will prove as robust as the private sector alternatives.