Greece passes law banning under-15s from social media

New legislation to take effect from January 1, 2027, using the 'Kid's Wallet' app for age verification

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

The Greek parliament has passed a bill banning social media access for minors under 15, making Greece the latest country to introduce age limits on online platforms. The law will come into force on January 1, 2027.

A bill to ban the use of social media by minors was approved by a majority vote of the Greek parliament on Thursday. The measure was supported only by the ruling New Democracy party; opposition parties SYRIZA, Greek Solution, KKE, Niki and Freedom Course voted against it, while PASOK abstained.

Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou described the step as "necessary, effective, proportionate and EU-law-compliant," according to Greek newspaper Kathimerini. He said social media platforms would have until the start of next year to "determine whether the accounts they host and the services they provide are intended for adults or not."

Drawing a parallel with age limits on alcohol and tobacco sales to minors, Papastergiou argued that lawmakers could not wait for Brussels to pass "the perfect European law." He said: "let's send the message that the problem of uncontrolled internet use — which leads children to addiction at the expense of their mental health — cannot continue."

The move follows a trend that began last year in Australia, with several countries subsequently introducing similar restrictions. Greece is one of seven EU member states seeking to establish standards for age verification on social media. Proponents argue the measures will curb "endless scrolling" that deprives children of sleep, harms their attention span and keeps them from outdoor play and social interaction.

Papastergiou defended the use of an app called "Kid's Wallet" for age verification, stating that it was built according to codes and technical specifications set by the EU. He emphasised that the app "does not provide any personal data whatsoever about children or users, other than whether they are over or under 15 years of age — not even their date of birth."

"We owe our children their childhood," Papastergiou said. "That is what we are doing today. We have a duty to protect them. Given the current challenges, the social media bill delivers what society has been waiting for."

Analysis

Why This Matters

Greece becomes the latest country to adopt age restrictions on social media, part of a growing international trend after Australia's 2024 move.
The law raises questions about cross-border enforcement, EU compliance, and the feasibility of age verification technology.
The contrast between the ruling party's strong support and the unanimous opposition/abstention from other parties suggests the issue may be politically divisive.

Background

Greece joins a global movement of governments responding to concerns about children's mental health and social media use. The approach mirrors measures in Australia and several other nations. The Greek government has opted for a national solution rather than waiting for an EU-wide framework, arguing that delays risk harming children. The chosen verification method, the Kid's Wallet app, is designed to minimise data collection while confirming age.

Key Perspectives

Government and proponents: The social media ban is a necessary, proportionate measure to protect children from addiction and mental harm. The Kid's Wallet app provides EU-compliant age verification without collecting excessive personal data. Opposition parties: SYRIZA, Greek Solution, KKE, Niki and Freedom Course voted against the bill; PASOK abstained. The sources do not detail their specific objections, but the split indicates disagreement over the approach. Critics and sceptics: While not directly quoted, general concerns about such laws include enforcement challenges, potential overreach, privacy implications of age verification, and the risk of driving children to less regulated platforms.

What to Watch

Whether the European Commission will seek to harmonise age verification standards across all member states, or allow national approaches like Greece's to proceed.
The January 1, 2027 deadline: how social media platforms respond to the requirement to identify adult and minor users.
Legal challenges to the law on EU law or privacy grounds, and whether other EU countries adopt similar measures.

Sources

Greece joins countries putting age-limits on social media, banning access for kids under 15 · DW English

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedGreece has passed a law banning social media access for children under 15.DW English: “A bill to "ban the use of online social media services by minors" was passed by a majority vote of the Greek parliament Thursday”
SupportedThe law will take effect on January 1, 2027.DW English: “was passed by a majority vote of the Greek parliament Thursday and will go into effect on January 1, 2027.”
Not in the sourcesGreece is the latest country to introduce social media age limits.DW English: “The move to put legal age limits on social media use began last year in Australia, with numerous countries around the world swiftly following suit.”
SupportedThe measure was supported only by New Democracy; the named opposition parties voted against it and PASOK abstained.DW English: “The New Democracy party was the only bloc in parliament to support the measure; while opposition parties SYRIZA , Greek Solution, KKE, Niki and Freedom Course voted against it, and PASOK abstained.”
SupportedPapastergiou called the step “necessary, effective, proportionate and EU-law-compliant.”DW English: “Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou called the step, "necessary, effective, proportionate and EU-law-compliant," according to Greek newspaper Kathimerini”
SupportedPapastergiou said platforms would have until the start of next year to determine whether accounts and services were intended for adults.DW English: “social media platforms would have until the first of the year to, "determine whether the accounts they host and the services they provide are intended for adults or not."”
SupportedPapastergiou said lawmakers could not wait for Brussels to pass “the perfect European law” and urged that uncontrolled internet use harming children’s mental health could not continue.DW English: “Papastergiou said lawmakers had no time to wait for Brussels to pass "the perfect European law," saying, "let's send the message that the problem of uncontrolled internet use — which leads children to addiction at the expense of their mental health — cannot continue."”
SupportedThe move follows a trend that began last year in Australia, with other countries following.DW English: “The move to put legal age limits on social media use began last year in Australia, with numerous countries around the world swiftly following suit.”
SupportedGreece is one of seven EU member states seeking standards for age verification on social media.DW English: “Greece is one of seven EU countries seeking to introduce standards for age-verification on social media”
SupportedProponents argue the measures will curb endless scrolling that deprives children of sleep, harms attention, and keeps them from outdoor play and time with friends.DW English: “proponents argue will curb the "endless scrolling" that deprives kids of sleep, destroys their attention span and ability to concentrate and keeps them from playing outdoors and spending time with their friends.”
SupportedThe “Kid's Wallet” app is intended for age verification, and Papastergiou said it reveals no personal data other than whether a user is over or under 15—not even their date of birth.DW English: “The minister was emphatic that the app, "does not provide any personal data whatsoever about children or users, other than whether they are over or under 15 years of age — not even their date of birth."”
SupportedPapastergiou said, “We owe our children their childhood,” and that the bill delivers what society has been waiting for.DW English: “"We owe our children their childhood," said Papastergiou. "That is what we are doing today. We have a duty to protect them. Given the current challenges, the social media bill delivers what society has been waiting for."”