Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on the 8th of April that children under the age of 15 will be banned from using social media from the 1st of January, 2027, as the reason citing the anxiety, sleep problems and addictive nature of online platforms, Reuters reports.
In a video aimed at young people, Mitsotakis said that spending hours in front of screens does not allow children to relax, and creates constant pressure to compare, as well as negative online comments. He said he had spoken to many parents who had told him about their children’s sleep problems, anxiety and the long hours spent in front of their phones.
A poll conducted by ALCO in February showed that about 80% of those surveyed supported the ban. The Greek government has already banned mobile phones in schools and has set up a platform that allows parents to limit the time teenagers spend on their phones.
Mitsotakis said Greece would be among the first countries to implement a ban, but he was sure it would not be the last.
The Greeks also aim to get the European Union to move in this direction.
Last December, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from using social media, denying access to TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other sites. TikTok, Meta and Snapchat said the ban would not protect young people, but they complied with the law. Other countries are also introducing stricter rules on social media, with Britain, Malaysia, France, Denmark and Poland also considering bans or already drafting legislation.
Mitsotakis, in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, pointed out that action is also needed at the EU level, as actions at the national level alone will not protect children from internet addiction.
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