Greece throws support behind social media bans for kids

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis threw his support behind growing momentum among EU countries pushing to ban kids from accessing social media, while speaking at the AI summit in India on Thursday.

Protecting kids from online harms and digital addiction is a “top priority” for the current Greek government, Mitsotakis said, adding that he will be announcing a decision on banning access to social media for minors and adolescents “very soon”.

Technology should strengthen “the public square rather than overwhelm us with disinformation and hate”, he added.

Mitstokais also said that he’s in favour of “extensive dialogue with the big technology companies,” but he warned that “we need to be aware that if that dialogue does not produce concrete results, regulation will be the only answer”.

Growing consensus among capitals 

A growing number of EU countries are signalling they’ll take steps to curb access to social media by kids and adolescents, citing addictive design and online hate as reasons to act.

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz voiced support for social media bans. His government is expected to approve a joint proposal on a “digital majority age” by the summer.

Earlier this month, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his government would pitch a legislative proposal to ban social media for children under-16s, warning of stark online risks for kids.

Other EU countries, including France and Denmark, are discussing their own social media kids bans – France has said it’s planning to finalise a legislative procedure as soon as September.

A possible EU-wide legislative approach on a social media age threshold for children will be considered this summer, according to a Commission action plan on cyberbullying that was published earlier in February.

(nl)