Greece plans to block social media access for children under 15 from next year, using age verification and a ‘Kids Wallet’ app as part of a wider digital safety push.
Key takeaways:
- Greece will restrict social media use for children under 15 starting next year, according to PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
- The policy targets mental health concerns like anxiety, sleep disruption, and addictive platform design.
- Platforms will be required to verify user age; non-compliance could trigger penalties under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
- Parents may need to install a government-backed ‘Kids Wallet’ app to block social media on a child’s device.
- Greece is urging similar action across the EU as other countries also tighten rules for minors.
What Greece is planning and when it starts
Greece has announced a plan to prohibit children under the age of 15 from using social media starting next year. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis shared the announcement in a video, describing it as part of a broader push to reduce the negative impact of social media on young people.
The move is designed to shift digital policy from “advice” to enforceable rules. Instead of relying only on parents to manage screen time, the Greek government wants platforms and devices to play a stronger role in restricting access.
Greece is also signalling that it wants to lead on the issue and encourage similar action across the European Union. That matters because many social media platforms operate across borders, and enforcement becomes easier when rules are consistent across multiple countries.
Why social media is being treated as a mental health issue
The government is linking the restriction to children’s mental health concerns. Officials have cited anxiety, sleep disruption, and the effects of addictive platform design as key reasons.
Mitsotakis highlighted a familiar problem for parents and teachers: children compare themselves to others online and can be emotionally affected by comments, likes, and viral content. Over time, that constant feedback loop can shape confidence and emotional well-being.
The policy reflects a broader global shift. Governments are increasingly treating social media not only as a tech issue, but as a public health and child protection issue. Even without a full ban, many countries are exploring stronger age checks, default limits, and restrictions around how platforms recommend content to minors.
How Greece plans to enforce the under-15 restriction
Enforcement is expected to rely on two main tools: age verification by platforms and device-level controls for families.
Greece’s digital governance minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, said social media platforms will be required to verify users’ ages to comply with the law. If companies fail to enforce the rules, they could face penalties under the Digital Services Act.
A second layer will involve parents. Greece plans a government-backed app called Kids Wallet that can be linked to a child’s device to block access to social media platforms. Authorities are still working out detailed implementation, but the idea is to make restrictions easier to apply at the device level.
The key challenge will be practical: age verification needs to be accurate without becoming a privacy problem, and the Kids Wallet system needs to be simple enough for families to use consistently.
How this fits into Greece’s wider digital policy
The under-15 restriction builds on earlier steps Greece has taken to limit screen exposure among children. In 2024, Greece introduced a ban on mobile phone use in schools.
Together, these policies show a wider approach: reduce distraction in school settings and reduce harmful social media exposure at home and on personal devices. The government’s view is that children’s digital environment should be managed more actively, not left entirely to platform design.
Mitsotakis also acknowledged that younger users may resist. That is realistic: teenagers often view social media as a social necessity. But officials say adult support appears strong, and they have pointed to survey results backing stricter controls.
What happens next and what other countries are doing
Greece is not acting in isolation. Officials pointed to other countries such as Indonesia, Austria, and Australia as having introduced similar restrictions. The UK is also considering tighter rules for users under 16.
Public opinion may shape how strong enforcement becomes. An opinion poll published by ALCO in February was cited as showing support among adults for stricter controls on children’s social media use.
Next, the important details will be implementation: how age checks are done, how penalties are applied, and whether Kids Wallet becomes mandatory for parents in practice. If Greece succeeds, it could set a template that other EU countries copy.
For families, the immediate lesson is to prepare for a world where social media access for minors is not just a parenting choice, but a regulated space with platform responsibilities and device-level controls.
