Mitsotakis defends Greece's 2027 social media ban for kids under 15

Greece’s Parliament approved a new law that legally restricts social media access for children under 15. The measure takes effect on January 1, 2027. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the plan earlier in 2026, describing the legislation as difficult but necessary. The ban applies to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

The law requires these platforms to implement age-verification methods that are both proportionate and reliable. Companies that fail to comply face fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. On the household side, parents must download state-backed applications named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps pair with a child’s device to block access to the restricted services.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, defended the national approach. He argued that waiting for a perfect European law would mean doing nothing. Papastergiou stated that children are sinking into the internet every day, and a responsible government must act. He noted that the state apps are designed to protect privacy by using age tokens that confirm age with minimal data collection.

Mitsotakis’s government passed the bill using its parliamentary majority, as minority parties opposed the measure. This follows Greece’s 2024 ban on mobile phones in schools. Opinion polls show broad support for the new social media restrictions among Greek adults. The government aims to push the EU in the same direction, though the European Commission’s recent EU Kids Act only bans access for children under 13.

Australia was the first country to enact a full social media ban for children. However, implementing age verification there has proved challenging. Greece’s new system will now face the same technical difficulties while relying on its specific state-backed apps.