Internet: Greece bans social media for under 15s

Athens. The Greek Parliament has passed a social media ban for children and young people under the age of 15. The regulation is due to come into force on January 1, 2027, as the public broadcaster ERT News reported. Greece is one of the first EU countries to introduce such a ban.

During the debate, which lasted several hours, the Minister for Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, defended the new regulation as a necessary, effective and proportionate measure that was compatible with EU law. “It would be very easy today to do nothing at all and wait for the perfect European law,” he said. The minister emphasized that uncontrolled internet use, which can make children addicted and harm their mental health, must not continue.

In the future, platforms will have to check the age of their users. Among other things, the “Kids Wallet” app, which was developed by the Greek Ministry for Digital Governance, is intended to help. The government app for smartphones is intended to help parents protect their children online. To do this, you link the app with your child’s data. During an age check, it can then be confirmed digitally whether the age limit has been reached without the platform receiving all of the child's personal data.

Last July, France was the first EU country to introduce a ban on social networks for children and young people under the age of 15. However, the Constitutional Council overturned the law in August 2026 on the grounds that it disproportionately interfered with freedom of expression and communication. French President Emmanuel Macron still wants to stick to it. He commissioned Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to come up with a legally secure new version.

In September, the EU Commission presented the EU Kids Act for an EU-wide solution to protect minors on the Internet. Among other things, it envisages a social media ban for those under 13 and only having their own accounts from the age of 15. The EU Parliament and the member states are currently discussing the proposal.