Greece Sets 2027 Deadline for Social Media Age Limit

Greece has moved to restrict social media use among minors, following a broader European trend toward regulating children's online activity. The country's parliament has approved legislation barring children under 15 from accessing major social media platforms. The law, which has now been enacted, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The measure covers prominent services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. It mandates that these platforms implement proportionate and reliable methods for verifying user age. The bill's passage came after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first proposed the idea earlier this year, and he described the legislation as "difficult but necessary." The new law is among the first of its kind to be enacted within the European Union.

The enforcement of the new rules will involve consequences for non-compliance, with fines to be issued under the EU's Digital Services Act. For parents, compliance requires using state-backed applications named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps are linked to a child's device to block access. The country's digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, stated that these tools are designed to protect privacy and minimize data collection by using "age tokens" that can confirm a person's age while limiting the disclosure of personal data. "It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law," Papastergiou said. "But the challenge is here. Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do."

The legislation faced opposition from Greece's minority parties, but the ruling majority pushed the bill through. Public support for the measure appears strong, as opinion polls indicate backing among the nation's adult population. This follows a previous action by the government in 2024 to bar mobile phones in schools. Mitsotakis has indicated that he hopes to influence policy beyond Greece, stating that his government's "goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."

Looking at the wider picture, the European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, though that framework sets an outright ban only for children under 13. Australia was the first country to introduce a full social media ban for children, but its age verification measures have been difficult to implement. Greece's new law represents a distinct national approach, setting a specific age threshold and enforcement date within the European context.

The path forward for Greece involves preparing for the law's implementation date on January 1, 2027. The coming months will likely see discussions on how to enforce the age verification requirements across the listed platforms. The debate over how to effectively manage children's online presence continues to be a significant issue for governments across the region.