The Greek parliament has passed a law banning people under the age of 15 from using social media. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s New Democracy party used its majority to pass the bill on Friday.
No other political party backed the bill during a heated debate that began on Thursday. The law will take effect on January 1, 2027, and will require age verification on social networks. Companies that fail to comply will face harsh penalties.
Mitsotakis’s case and the opposition’s alternative
Mitsotakis first announced the ban in April, speaking on TikTok, one of the most popular social networks among young people in Greece. He described the measure as “difficult but necessary.”
The opposition socialist PASOK party abstained from the vote. It had sought an alternative bill that would ban social media for under-13s and introduce parental controls for 13- and 14-year-olds.
Wider trend and concerns over enforcement
The ban places Greece alongside about 20 countries that now restrict young people’s access to social media apps. Australia, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Austria, Denmark and the UK are among those that have introduced or plan similar restrictions.
Critics say social networks use addictive algorithms to keep children glued to their screens, and warn that excessive scrolling can harm their mental health. Bans have also faced pushback, with questions raised about how they would be enforced and how effective they really are.
