Greece to ban social media for under-15-year-olds
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis officially announced today, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, that Greece will ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media.
The measure is set to be formally regulated this summer and will officially enter into force on January 1, 2027.
Why the Ban?
In a video message posted—ironically—on TikTok, Mitsotakis addressed teenagers and parents, citing several key reasons for the drastic move:
Mental Health: Rising levels of anxiety and the "addictive design" of modern applications.
Physical Well-being: High rates of sleep deprivation caused by late-night screen time.
Developmental Protection: Mitsotakis stated that "science is clear" that the brain does not rest when children spend hours in front of screens, and that constant online comparison "harms innocence and freedom."
Context and Global Trend
Greece is positioning itself as a European leader on this issue, aiming to pressure the European Union to adopt a unified digital age of majority.
Domestic Support: A recent February poll showed that 80% of Greeks approve of the ban.
Previous Steps: This follows the Greek government's existing ban on mobile phones in schools and the launch of the "Kids Wallet" supervision app.
The Global Wave: Greece follows Australia (which blocked under-16s in late 2025) and Indonesia (which began enforcing an under-16 ban in March 2026). Other countries like Austria (targeting under-14s), Spain, and the UK are currently developing similar legislation.
The Greek government plans to present the final version of the law by the summer of 2026. While the Prime Minister acknowledged that many young people would be "angry," he framed the decision as a "difficult but necessary" step to protect the next generation from the "giant of algorithms."
