Greece will prohibit children under the age of 15 from accessing social media starting January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday.
“We have decided to go ahead with a difficult but necessary measure: ban access to social media for children under 15 years old,” he said in a video shared on TikTok.
He noted that the country is among the first globally to adopt such a restriction and said he would push for similar measures across the European Union.
Mitsotakis explained that the move is aimed at tackling excessive screen use and its effects on children, stating that prolonged exposure to screens can negatively affect brain development.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he called for a unified European framework by the end of 2026, proposing a “Digital Age of Majority” set at 15, with regular age verification by platforms.
According to government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, the restriction will apply to platforms associated with “endless scrolling”, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
However, messaging and video platforms such as Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and YouTube will not be affected.
Authorities said platforms will be required to verify users’ ages, with the list of restricted apps subject to updates if similar services emerge.
The move comes amid growing global concern over the impact of social media on young people, with countries like Australia, Indonesia, Austria, Spain, and Denmark also considering or implementing similar restrictions.