Greece Passes Social Media Ban for Children Under 15, Effective January 1, 2027
ATHENS — Greece's parliament approved a bill on Friday banning the use of social media platforms by children under 15, Reuters reported on October 23. The ban comes into force on January 1, 2027, amid growing concerns over social media's impact on minors' health and safety. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said platforms have two and a half months to devise a way to verify users' ages and protect their privacy; the government says it is standing by parents to help curb the "endless scrolling" that deprives children of sleep, concentration and time with their friends.
Greece is the latest European country to legislate on minors' social media use. Australia was the first country to pass legislation curbing social media use by minors, doing so last year; a similar law passed in France was struck down by the country's Constitutional Council in August. Greece is among seven European Union countries seeking an age-verification solution with the European Commission. Greece previously barred mobile phones in schools in 2024, and opinion polls show the new ban is widely supported by the country's adult population, according to Engadget. Penalties for non-compliant platforms will be enforced under the EU Digital Services Act, and the technical design of age verification remains to be settled by platforms and regulators before the ban takes effect.
(GSM, from Reuters, October 23, 2026, and Engadget)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：希腊议会与宪法广场，资料图。照片：Annatsach，CC BY-SA 4.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / The Hellenic Parliament and Syntagma Square, Athens (file photo). Photo: Annatsach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
