Digital Guardianship: Greece Mandates Age Verification for Under-15s

As of January 1, 2027, children in Greece under the age of fifteen will officially be prohibited from using major social media platforms, marking a significant shift in how the nation regulates young users' digital access. This legislative milestone, passed by the Greek parliament, makes Greece one of the first countries in the European Union to implement such a specific age-based restriction, moving beyond general digital safety guidelines to enforce hard barriers.

The law targets popular services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. To comply, these platforms are required to implement age-verification methods that are both reliable and proportionate to the data collected. The measure was championed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who described the decision as "difficult but necessary." He noted that the government could have waited for a comprehensive European law to take shape, but felt the urgency of the situation demanded immediate national action.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, emphasized the rationale behind the legislation during its passage. "Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do," Papastergiou stated. His comments underscored the administration's view that inaction was no longer a viable option in the face of growing concerns regarding youth online behavior.

Enforcement of the new rules will be supported by state-backed mobile applications known as Kids Wallet and Gov.gr. Parents will be required to download these apps and pair them with their children's devices to block unauthorized access. According to Papastergiou, the apps are designed to prioritize privacy by utilizing "age tokens." These tokens allow platforms to confirm a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data disclosed, aiming to balance security with protection.

Non-compliance by social media companies will result in fines under the existing EU Digital Services Act. This framework provides a clear financial incentive for platforms to adopt the required verification technologies before the deadline. The legislation faced opposition from minority parties in parliament, but the ruling majority successfully pushed the bill through, reflecting strong political support for the measure within the government.

The move follows a broader trend in Greece regarding youth technology use. In 2024, the nation already implemented a ban on mobile phones in schools. Recent opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece widely supports the new social media restrictions, suggesting a consensus that current digital habits are placing undue pressure on younger generations.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis has expressed a goal of encouraging the entire European Union to adopt similar measures. While the European Commission has recently proposed the EU Kids Act, that legislation currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of thirteen. Greece’s decision to set the threshold at fifteen positions it as a pioneer in regional digital policy.

Australia holds the distinction of being the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children, though the country has faced challenges in implementing effective age verification. Greece’s new law aims to address these technical hurdles by mandating specific, privacy-focused verification methods, setting a potential precedent for other nations looking to balance digital inclusion with child protection.