Social media ban for youth under 15 approved in Greece

The Greek parliament has approved a bill for a social media ban for children under 15, which will take effect on January 1, 2027. The regulation provides for mandatory age verification checks for platforms.

Greece has joined the countries imposing a social media ban on children, with a bill that will enter into force on January 1, 2027, for those under 15 being approved in parliament. According to the state agency ANA, fierce debates took place prior to Thursday's vote. The bill, which Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described in April as "difficult but necessary," received votes only from lawmakers of the ruling New Democracy party. Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiu argued that the law was a necessary solution compatible with EU law.

Opposition parties kept their distance from the bill for various reasons. The socialist Pasok party abstained, demanding that the ban cover those under 13 and introduce parental control for ages 13-14. Meanwhile, the radical left Syriza party criticized the blanket ban, stating that excluding children does not mean protecting them. According to the adopted law, age verification will be carried out on online platforms, and heavy fines will be imposed on companies that fail to comply with the rules.