Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15

Greece will prohibit children and young people under the age of 15 from using social media platforms beginning January 1, 2027. Minister of State Akis Skertsos presented the ban during a press conference in Athens, stating the measure is necessary to address digital addiction.

The decision follows an initial announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in April. Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis supported the move by citing a survey of 2,500 students, which found that 25% of respondents reported excessive social media use.

Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou explained that platforms violating the ban will be subject to European enforcement and penalty mechanisms under the Digital Services Act. These penalties can include fines of up to 6% of a company's global annual turnover. The national policy aligns with the European Commission's proposed EU Kids Act, which suggests banning social media for children under 13 and requiring users to be at least 15 to create accounts independently.