Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that a law will be implemented on January 1, 2027, that will ban access to social media for those under 15, mandate the implementation of reliable age verification mechanisms for platforms, and require the re-verification of existing accounts. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has long advocated for the need to protect minors from internet addiction and has taken a leading role in EU-wide efforts, with the Greek government calling for the introduction of a unified system within the EU.
Θέσπιση ορίου ηλικίας για την πρόσβαση στα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης και την προστασία των ανηλίκων από τον ψηφιακό εθισμό | Ελληνική Κυβέρνηση
Government to outline plans to block under-15s’ access to social media | eKathimerini.com
Greece to ban social media for under-15s from 2027, calls on EU action | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/greece-ban-social-media-under-15s-2027-pm-says-2026-04-08/
Since Prime Minister Mitsotakis delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly in September 2024, emphasizing the need to protect minors from internet addiction, Greece, along with France, Spain, Denmark, Cyprus, and Italy, has formed the ‘Digital Alliance of Like-minded Nations’ to address the issue of protecting minors.
In a statement, the Greek government said that protecting minors online can no longer be managed solely by family responsibility or platform self-regulation. Drawing on precedents in Austria and France, Greece plans to establish a ‘digital age of adulthood’ and deny access to social media for users who do not meet this requirement.
Specifically, from January 1, 2027, access to social media will be prohibited for anyone under the age of 15. This restriction will primarily be the responsibility of the platforms, which will be required to implement reliable age verification mechanisms.
The platforms targeted are those defined by the European Commission’s Digital Services Act (DSA) , and include Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
While the government does not directly control users, oversight is provided by agencies such as the Greek Telecommunications and Gambling Commission (EETT), and violations will be subject to monitoring and sanctions. Under the DSA, sanctions such as ‘fines of up to 6% of global sales’ are expected to be imposed.
In Greece, a parental control app called ‘KidsWallet’ for children under 18 has been available since 2025.
KidsWallet Mobile App – Gov.gr
https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/polites-kai-kathemerinoteta/stoikheia-polite-kai-tautopoietika-eggrapha/KidsWallet
KidsWallet is an app that allows minors to restrict or block access to apps and online services when using smartphones. The age verification mechanism introduced for users under 18 is said to be the first of its kind in an EU member state. The government is urging not only platforms but also families to cooperate by using KidsWallet to ensure that ‘SNS access is prohibited for those under 15’ is strictly enforced.
Furthermore, the Greek government has sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, arguing that the EU’s efforts to protect minors from internet addiction are still insufficient. The letter calls for the establishment of a ‘digital age of majority’ (16 years old), similar to Greece’s, a ban on social media use by users below that age, mandatory age verification mechanisms on platforms, age verification of accounts every six months, and the creation of a mechanism for incident assessment by member states and the European Commission.