Greece will ban all kids under 15 from using social media

## Summary
NurPhoto via Getty Images Greece will ban children under the age 15 from using social media starting next year. While the PM chose not to name any platforms, he said he was concerned about children comparing themselves to others on social media and taking online comments to heart. "Greece will be ​among the first countries to take ​such an initiative," Mitsotakis said. "I am certain, ​however, that it will not be the last. Our ⁠goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reported by The New York Times , Greece’s digital governance minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, said that social media companies would be legally required to uphold the new restrictions by verifying the ages of their users. The UK is also considering bringing in tighter restrictions on children under the age of 16 using social media.

## Article Content
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Greece will ban children under the age 15 from using social media starting next year. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement in a video posted to
TikTok
, in which he referenced anxiety, sleep problems and addictive design features as reasons for the ban.
Greece has been proactive in its approach to tackling excessive screen time for children, having already banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. While the PM chose not to name any platforms, he said he was concerned about children comparing themselves to others on social media and taking online comments to heart.
"Greece will be ​among the first countries to take ​such an initiative," Mitsotakis said. "I am certain, ​however, that it will not be the last. Our ⁠goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."
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As reported by
The New York Times
, Greece’s digital governance minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, said that social media companies would be legally required to uphold the new restrictions by verifying the ages of their users. Failure to comply would lead to fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Parents would also need to download an app called Kids Wallet, backed by the state, that could be paired to their child’s device and block access. The finer details of how the ban would be enforced are still being worked out by decision-makers.
The PM conceded that he would likely incur the wrath of his country’s young children, but there’s widespread
support
for the plans from Greece’s adult population, according to an opinion poll published by
ALCO
in February. Greece follows in the footsteps of
Indonesia
,
Austria
and
Australia
, all of which have introduced similar bans of their own in the last year. The UK is also
considering
bringing in tighter restrictions on children under the age of 16 using social media.
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- Failure to comply would lead to fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act.

### Implications
- NurPhoto via Getty Images Greece will ban children under the age 15 from using social media starting next year.
- While the PM chose not to name any platforms, he said he was concerned about children comparing themselves to others on social media and taking online comments to heart. "Greece will be ​among the first countries to take ​such an initiative," Mitsotakis said. "I am certain, ​however, that it will not be the last.
- Failure to comply would lead to fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
- Parents would also need to download an app called Kids Wallet, backed by the state, that could be paired to their child’s device and block access.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers greece, children, social topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 331.