Greece is set to introduce a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, in one of Europe’s most assertive attempts yet to curb the effects of excessive screen time on young people.
The plan, announced by the prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will come into force on 1 January 2027 and will apply to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Messaging services will be exempt, in a distinction that reflects the government’s focus on algorithm-driven content feeds rather than private communication.
Ministers presenting the policy said it was designed as a preventive measure rather than a restriction on free expression, arguing that children are increasingly exposed to harmful patterns of use before they are able to fully understand or control them. “We are not limiting freedom of speech,” said the health minister, Adonis Georgiadis. “We are adapting to a new reality that has developed faster than regulation.”
Under the proposed framework, social media companies will be required to implement effective age verification systems to block access for under-15s. The government has developed its own digital tools, including a state-backed wallet for identity verification, but stopped short of mandating their adoption, placing the responsibility squarely on platforms to comply with European standards.
The legislation has been drafted to align with the EU’s Digital Services Act, meaning enforcement will not rest solely with Greek authorities. Oversight is expected to involve cross-border cooperation and, in the case of the largest platforms, direct intervention by the European Commission.
Penalties for non-compliance could be severe. Companies that fail to enforce age restrictions face fines of up to 6% of their global turnover under existing EU rules, a level intended to ensure that compliance is taken seriously by multinational tech firms.
The measure will apply to children born from the beginning of 2012 onwards, effectively covering all users under 15 at the time the ban comes into force. A consultation process at EU level is expected in mid-2026, with national legislation to follow later that summer. The move comes amid growing concern across Europe about the psychological effects of social media on children, with Greek officials pointing to a rise in cases linked to what they describe as “digital addiction”. The minister of state, Akis Skertsos, said the business model underpinning many platforms – built on endless scrolling and user engagement – was increasingly seen as incompatible with the wellbeing of younger users.
Athens is also seeking to push the debate beyond its borders. In a letter to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, Mitsotakis has called for a Europe-wide approach, including the introduction of a common “digital age of majority” set at 15 and mandatory age checks across platforms.
While it remains to be seen how effectively such measures can be enforced in practice, Greece’s proposal places it at the forefront of a wider European reckoning with the role of social media in children’s lives – and the limits of self-regulation by tech companies.
