Greece will announce new measures within March aimed at limiting access to certain social media platforms for children under the age of 16, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
The announcement came during a discussion at the Athens Alitheia Forum, a conference focused on misinformation and the quality of public discourse.
The Greek premier stressed that if “we fail to educate a new generation of active citizens on how the complex news environment works, we will have neglected our duty to the younger generation.” He also noted that social media fosters addictive habits not only in children but also in adults and that many accounts are not real but are bots.
According to the prime minister, the government is finalizing its plans to regulate minors’ use of social media, an initiative that officials have been preparing for several months.
Mitsotakis said the upcoming policy aims to restrict access to specific platforms for younger users while ensuring that any regulation complies with European Union rules.
Growing international debate on social media for youngsters
The move comes amid a broader international debate about the impact of social media on children and teenagers.
Australia became the first country to introduce a ban on social media access for users under 16. Under the new policy, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube must block users under the age of sixteen. Authorities estimate that over one million accounts are affected.
Several European countries are also considering similar restrictions. Portugal, Spain, Denmark and Slovenia are examining legislative proposals, while discussions on the issue have also begun in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Germany.
Related: Social Media Overtakes TV as Main Source of Information in Greece