ATHENS, Greece — Greece announced a significant new initiative, becoming the latest European Union member to propose a total social media ban for children aged 15 and under. This move by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aims to pressure the EU’s 27-member bloc into establishing formalized age restrictions across all member states. The proposed legislation specifically targets social media platforms where users can create profiles, interact with one another, and share content, including popular services such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Under the new law, once enacted, social media companies will be responsible for re-verifying the ages of all users within Greece to ensure that those who are 15 years old and younger are excluded from accessing these platforms. Greek authorities have emphasized that the government’s role will be limited to monitoring compliance with the law and addressing any reported breaches.
Violations of the proposed regulations will be reported to the authorities of the social media platform's country of origin or to the European Union’s executive arm. Potential penalties for non-compliance may include fines amounting to up to 6% of a company’s global revenue, daily financial penalties until compliance is achieved, or restrictions on operations within Greece.
In a video message shared on social media on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mitsotakis directly addressed children, explaining that the intent of the ban is to protect them. He relayed concerns from parents and young individuals themselves about the negative effects of spending excessive time on social media, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. "Now I'm certain that many young ones will be angry. If I was at your age, perhaps I'd feel the same way too. But our role, my role isn’t always to be pleasant," he stated.
Mitsotakis further articulated that if social media usage causes feelings of anxiety or lowers one's self-esteem, it may be best to stop engaging with it. He emphasized that the law is not designed to keep young people away from technology altogether but instead aims to shield them from the "addictive design" of certain platforms and the profit models that depend on user engagement time, which he believes threatens their innocence and freedom.
The proposed law is anticipated to be introduced this summer and could be implemented on January 1 of the following year. Greece is modeling its initiative after France, which enacted a similar ban on children aged 15 and under earlier in the year. In a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Mitsotakis urged for a “unified European framework” to complement national initiatives aimed at protecting minors from the potential harms of social media.
The Greek leader proposed a comprehensive EU-wide social media ban for individuals aged 15 and younger. His suggestions included a standardized age verification mechanism, requiring platforms to reverify the ages of users every two years, and establishing an oversight body for EU member states and the European Commission to assess incidents and impose swift penalties as necessary.
This legislative push reflects emerging concerns across Europe about the impact of social media on the mental well-being of children and teenagers, as governments seek to implement protective measures amid the growing influence of digital platforms in young lives.
