Athens Mandates Digital Age Limits for Youth

Greece has formally enacted a national law that prohibits children under the age of fifteen from accessing major social media platforms. The legislation becomes active on January 1, 2027, marking a significant shift in the country's approach to digital youth protection. This move places Greece among the first European Union member states to adopt such a strict framework, following the initial announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier this year. The bill was described by the prime minister as a difficult but necessary step to safeguard young users in an increasingly digital world.

The new regulations apply to prominent services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Under the act, these platforms are required to implement age-verification methods that are both proportionate and reliable. This requirement aims to ensure that minors cannot easily bypass the restrictions to access content designed for older audiences. The enforcement of these rules represents a direct legislative response to concerns regarding the impact of social media on developing minds.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, defended the measure by emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He noted that inaction would have been the simpler path, waiting for a perfect European solution that might never arrive. Papastergiou argued that the current challenge is immediate, observing that children are increasingly immersed in the internet. He stated that a responsible government has an obligation to act in such circumstances, even if the process is complex.

Compliance with the new law is enforced through the European Union's Digital Services Act. Platforms that fail to meet the new standards may face financial penalties. Additionally, parents are required to download state-backed applications known as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These tools are paired with a child's device to block access to restricted services. The design of these applications focuses on privacy, utilizing a mechanism called age tokens. This technology confirms a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed to the platform.

The path to enactment was not without political friction. Minority parties in the Greek parliament opposed the legislation, arguing against its specific provisions. However, Prime Minister Mitsotakis utilized the majority held by his government to push the bill through the legislative process. This decision follows a broader trend of digital restrictions in Greece, which previously banned the use of mobile phones in schools in 2024. Recent opinion polls indicate that the adult population widely supports the new social media ban for children, suggesting strong public backing for the government's stance.

The Greek government views this national law as a stepping stone toward broader European regulation. Mitsotakis has expressed the goal of encouraging the European Union to adopt similar measures across the continent. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aligns with this direction, though it currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of thirteen. The Greek approach extends the protection to a slightly older demographic, highlighting the varying standards within the region.

Australia stands as the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children, providing a real-world example for Greece. However, the Australian experience has shown that implementing age verification remains a significant technical and logistical challenge. Greece aims to refine this process through its specific use of privacy-focused age tokens. As the law takes effect in early 2027, the success of this model may influence how other nations approach the balance between digital access and child safety.

This development reflects a growing global consensus that digital environments require more robust safeguards for younger users. By establishing clear legal boundaries, Greece is setting a precedent that could reshape the landscape of social media compliance in Europe. The coming months will be critical as platforms prepare their systems for the January deadline. The outcome of this implementation will likely be closely watched by policymakers and technologists alike as they seek effective solutions to the challenges of the digital age.