Athens Mandate: State Apps Block Under-15s From Social Media

The Greek government will require families to install state-backed applications to restrict social media access for children under the age of 15. Parliament approved the legislation on Thursday, setting an effective date of January 1, 2027. This move makes Greece one of the first European Union members to legally limit preteens' access to digital platforms.

The law targets major services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These companies must implement age-verification methods that are reliable and proportionate. If a platform fails to comply, it will face fines under the existing EU Digital Services Act. The measure follows an announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier this year, who described the bill as "difficult but necessary."

Parents will download apps named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr to pair with their children's devices. These tools will block access to the restricted services. Digital governance and AI minister Dimitris Papastergiou explained that the apps use "age tokens" to verify a person's age. He stated that this system is designed to protect privacy by collecting the minimum amount of personal data required.

The government proceeded with the law without waiting for new EU-wide regulations. Papastergiou argued that waiting for a perfect European law was an option they rejected. He noted that children are increasingly immersed in the internet and that a responsible government must act. The legislation passed with support from the governing majority, as minority parties opposed the measure.

Greece already banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Opinion polls indicate that Greek adults broadly support the new restriction on children's social media use. Mitsotakis stated that the government aims to push the European Union in the same direction. The European Commission recently proposed the EU Kids Act, which would ban social media for children under 13 rather than 15.

Australia was the first country to enact a full social media ban for children. Implementing age verification there has presented challenges. Greece's approach relies on state-backed apps to address these technical difficulties. The new system will test whether government software can effectively manage access without over-collecting user data.