Greece to ban social media for under-15s from next year

Greece to ban social media for under-15s from next year

Greece is set to implement a social media restriction for children aged 15 and below, marking the nation as the newest European country to limit youth engagement with digital platforms. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the initiative targets escalating mental health concerns and sleep disturbances, alongside the platforms’ ‘addictive design.’

The regulation will take effect in January of the following year. In December, Australia became the first country globally to mandate TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and other leading services to remove accounts for users under 16 or face significant penalties. France, Austria, and Spain have since joined the trend of similar regulations, while the UK government is evaluating a ban for under-16s. Ireland and Denmark are also exploring comparable measures.

Social media companies dispute the effectiveness of such bans, claiming they are hard to enforce and could isolate vulnerable teens. Reddit has already contested Australia’s law in court. In a TikTok video message, Mitsotakis stated: “Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online.”

“But the addictive design of certain applications, and a business model based on capturing your attention—on how long you stay in front of a screen—takes away your innocence and your freedom. That has to stop somewhere.”

Further details on the enforcement framework will be revealed later on Wednesday. Mitsotakis also pledged Greece’s support for EU-wide action, writing to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He proposed a unified regulatory approach, including mandatory age verification for under-15s across all platforms, a continent-wide ban for that age group, and periodic age checks every six months.

The discussion surrounding children’s social media use has gained momentum, fueled by growing evidence of its impact on mental health. In March, Meta and YouTube were held accountable in a historic US trial linked to a woman’s childhood dependency on digital platforms. Jurors concluded the companies intentionally developed addictive systems that harmed her psychological well-being. Meta and Google contested the decision, stating they plan to challenge the ruling. Meta added: “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.”