Mitsotakis Finalizes Greece's Social Media Age Barrier

Effective January 1, 2027, Greece will officially prohibit social media usage for children under the age of 15. This legislation, now enacted by the parliament, represents one of the first major age-restriction laws implemented within the European Union. The rule applies to major digital platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, requiring these services to adopt proportionate and reliable methods for verifying user age.

The path to this regulation began with a public announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier in 2026. He described the measure as "difficult but necessary," signaling the government's intent to address digital engagement among minors. Following this initial statement, the bill moved through the legislative process, facing opposition from minority parties. However, the prime minister’s majority government secured the passage, ensuring the law’s enactment ahead of the new year.

Greece’s digital governance and AI minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, emphasized the urgency of the action, arguing that waiting for a broader European solution was no longer viable. He noted, "It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law. 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." This perspective aligns with the government’s broader strategy to proactively manage digital risks rather than relying solely on future EU-wide frameworks.

Under the new rules, non-compliance will result in fines under the existing EU Digital Services Act. To enforce the ban, parents will be required to use state-backed applications, specifically named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps must be paired with a child’s device to block access to restricted platforms. The government asserts that these tools are designed to protect privacy by utilizing "age tokens," a mechanism intended to verify age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed to platforms.

This move follows a 2024 decision by the nation to ban mobile phones in schools, indicating a sustained governmental focus on limiting children’s digital exposure. Opinion polls suggest that the adult population in Greece widely supports the new social media restrictions, providing a solid political foundation for the policy. The legislation reflects a growing trend of national governments taking individual action on digital age limits before a unified continental standard is fully established.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis has stated that the government’s goal is to push the European Union in the same direction. The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aims to standardize protections across the bloc. However, that proposed law currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under 13, making Greece’s threshold of 15 years old more restrictive. The Greek government appears to be using its domestic law as a catalyst to influence the final shape of EU regulations.

The implementation of age verification remains a critical challenge, as seen in Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for kids. There, the technical difficulties of accurately verifying age have proven complex to manage. Greece’s approach, with its reliance on specific state-backed apps and token-based verification, offers a different model for tackling this technical hurdle. As the January 2027 deadline approaches, attention will turn to how effectively these tools function in practice and whether they can balance privacy with accessibility.

For readers in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, this development highlights a shifting global landscape for digital childhood. While the law applies to Greece, it sets a precedent that may influence how other regions approach age-gating on social platforms. The coming months will likely see increased scrutiny of how age-verification technologies work, particularly as the Greek system prepares for its launch in the new year.