Greece to ban social media for under-15s from next year
Greece is set to implement a restriction on social media access for children under 15, marking its entry into a global movement to limit young users’ exposure to digital platforms. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the initiative’s purpose, highlighting concerns over mental health and sleep disruptions linked to excessive online activity. The regulation will begin in January, following a decision that seeks to counteract the perceived negative impact of social media’s algorithmic structures.
Australia took the lead in December by introducing a law requiring TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and other major platforms to remove accounts registered by users under 16 or risk significant penalties. Other nations, including France, Austria, and Spain, have also begun exploring similar measures, while the UK is currently reviewing options for a comparable ban. Ireland and Denmark are in the early stages of evaluating their own strategies.
“Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online,” stated Mitsotakis in a video message shared on TikTok. He cited reports from parents describing children who suffer from poor sleep, heightened anxiety, and constant phone usage. The leader acknowledged that technology itself can inspire and educate but argued that its design often compromises innocence and freedom.
Social media firms have voiced concerns over the effectiveness of such broad restrictions. They claim that enforcing a complete ban is challenging and could unintentionally isolate at-risk youth. Reddit, for instance, has initiated legal action against Australia’s new regulation, questioning its validity and scope.
Further details on the enforcement mechanism will be revealed later this week. Mitsotakis outlined plans for a unified EU approach, urging the European Commission to develop a shared framework. His proposals include mandatory age verification across all platforms, a continent-wide ban for children under 15, and periodic age checks every six months to ensure compliance.
The discourse around youth and social media has grown more urgent as evidence mounts on its mental health consequences. In March, Meta and YouTube faced a pivotal US legal ruling, where a jury found them liable for contributing to a woman’s childhood addiction through their platforms’ addictive features. Both companies plan to appeal the decision, with Meta stressing that teen mental health is multifaceted and not solely attributable to a single application.
