Greece mandates social media age checks for minors

Greece has officially enacted a legislative framework that restricts social media access for children under the age of fifteen, a move that establishes a new compliance benchmark for digital platforms operating in the European Union. The law takes effect on January 1, 2027, and requires major services to implement robust verification systems to determine if a user meets the minimum age requirement. This regulatory shift places immediate operational and financial obligations on tech companies that serve the Greek market.

The measure covers prominent networks including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Under the new rules, these services must adopt age-verification methods that are both proportionate and reliable. The legislation is considered one of the first of its kind to be adopted within the EU, signaling a potential trend toward stricter national oversight of digital engagement among young users. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the bill as difficult but necessary for the country's digital future.

Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and artificial intelligence, emphasized the urgency of the action. He noted that waiting for a perfect European law was an easy option, but the challenge was present in the daily lives of children. Papastergiou stated that a responsible government must act when children are sinking into the internet, highlighting the immediate need for intervention over long term legislative waiting.

Non-compliance with the new standards will result in fines under the EU's Digital Services Act, creating a direct financial incentive for platforms to adapt their infrastructure. Additionally, the law mandates that parents download state backed applications such as Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These tools must be paired with a child's device to block access if the user is under fifteen. Papastergiou explained that these apps use age tokens to confirm user age while minimizing the collection of personal data, thus protecting privacy.

The political path to enactment was not without friction. Minority parties in the Greek parliament opposed the legislation, but the government utilized its majority to push the bill through. This follows a previous policy decision in 2024 that barred mobile phones from schools. Current opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece widely supports the new social media restrictions for children, suggesting strong public backing for the regulatory approach.

Mitsotakis has previously stated that the government aims to push the European Union in the same direction. The European Commission has recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which aligns with this goal but currently stipulates an outright ban only for children under the age of thirteen. The Greek law sets a higher age threshold, creating a distinct regulatory environment that may influence future EU wide standards. This divergence highlights the ongoing tension between national initiatives and continental policy development.

The implementation challenges are well documented by the experience of Australia, which was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for kids. Australia has found age verification to be a complex task to execute effectively. As Greece prepares for the January 2027 start date, tech firms will need to refine their verification technologies to meet the new requirements. The market is now watching to see how these technical hurdles are overcome in the Greek context.