Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15 From January 1

Greece's parliament approved a bill on Friday, October 23, 2026, that bans the use of social media platforms for children under 15. The ban comes into force on January 1, 2027. It follows growing concerns over the impact of social media on the health and safety of minors, and it makes Greece one of a growing list of countries setting a legal age floor for social media accounts.

The law covers platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. It mandates proportionate and reliable age verification methods, and it puts the work of checking ages on the platforms themselves rather than on families alone.

Platforms have two and a half months to prepare

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said social media platforms have two and a half months to devise a way to verify users' ages and protect their privacy. That deadline lands before the January 1 start date, so the systems are expected to be ready when the ban begins. Greece is among seven European Union countries seeking an age verification solution with the European Commission.

How parents would block access

Parents would need to use state-backed apps called Kids Wallet or Gov.gr, paired to their child's device, to block access. The system uses age tokens designed to confirm age while minimizing data disclosure. Digital governance and AI minister Dimitris Papastergiou defended the choice to act now instead of waiting for a European law. He said: "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."

How parliament voted

Only the governing New Democracy party backed the bill. The opposition socialist PASOK party abstained after seeking an alternative bill that would have banned social media for under-13s, with parental controls for 13 and 14 year olds. Other left-wing and nationalist parties voted against the bill, so the law passed on the votes of the governing party alone.

A plan first announced in April

Mitsotakis announced plans for the ban in April 2026. He explained the measure on TikTok and described it as difficult but necessary. The bill approved on Friday turns that announcement into law, with the start date set for the first day of 2027 and the design work on age checks now on a fixed clock.

Greece joins a wider push

Australia became the first country to introduce such a social media ban for kids, barring under-16s. More than 20 countries have passed similar laws, according to an AFP tally. In France, a similar law was struck down by the Constitutional Council in August, which shows that age bans can face legal challenges even after a parliament approves them.