Greece to ban under-15s from social media in 2027, urges EU to follow suit

At a glance:

• Greece will ban children under 15 from accessing social media platforms from 1 January 2027
• The ban will be enforced through a state-mandated app installed on all personal devices
• Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aims to push the EU to adopt similar measures

Ban on social media for under-15s

Greece has announced a ban on children under 15 accessing social media platforms, which will come into force on 1 January 2027. The ban will apply regardless of parental consent, closing an exemption that has weakened similar restrictions in other jurisdictions.

Enforcement through state-mandated app

Enforcement of the ban will be handled through a state-mandated application installed on all personal devices, giving the measure technical rather than purely regulatory teeth. The scope of the ban extends beyond social media to include protection from online gambling, alcohol and tobacco promotion, and explicit content.

Aim to combat addiction

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his young audience in a TikTok video that the aim of the ban is not to keep them away from technology but to combat addiction to certain applications that harms their innocence and freedom. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and established parental control platforms to limit teenagers' screen time.

Public support for the ban

A poll by ALCO published in February found that approximately 80% of Greeks surveyed backed a ban on social media for under-15s. Greece becomes one of a small number of countries to move from stated intent to formal law on child social media access, following Australia's lead in banning children under 16 in 2025.

Pushing for EU-wide policy

Mitsotakis explicitly framed Greece's move as a bid to shift European Union policy, expressing confidence that Greece would not be the last country to take such an initiative. Slovenia, Britain, Austria, and Spain have since announced they are working on similar legislation.