Greece has revealed plans to implement a new regulation next year that will have a significant impact on a large number of individuals. This decision follows a similar move made by Australia in December 2025, prompting Greece to call on the European Union to adopt a comparable ‘ban’.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on April 8, 2026, that Greece will prohibit all children under the age of 15 from using social media starting on January 1, 2027. The objective of this measure is to safeguard children’s mental well-being, independent of parental permission.
Citing compelling evidence, Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted the negative impact of excessive screen time and social media algorithms on children, leading to anxiety and sleep disturbances. Statistics from the Greek Safer Internet Centre in Athens reveal that 75% of children engaging with social media in Greece are in primary school.
The UK is currently discussing the potential implementation of a ban on under-16s, with Ireland and Denmark also contemplating similar actions. Recently, the House of Lords in the UK supported a proposition to prohibit under-16s from accessing social media platforms.
In a TikTok video statement, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the necessity of a stringent but crucial decision to restrict social media access for children under 15. Greece stands among the pioneering nations to enforce such a restriction and aims to press the European Union to follow suit.
The Greek government intends to enforce this ban through its existing ‘Kids Wallet’ application, currently utilized for age verification in alcohol and tobacco purchases. This application will be leveraged to filter and block social media access at the device level.
Unlike methods relying on self-regulation by social media platforms, Greece is opting for a ‘source-based’ strategy. Parents will be mandated to activate the Kids Wallet app on all devices used by a child to block access at the system level. This state-imposed device-level block is expected to effectively counter methods of circumvention, such as VPNs.
Greece joins other nations in implementing stringent age-related digital restrictions, aligning with Australia, which enforces an under-16 ban, and Indonesia. Following this development, Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging for a unified EU-wide “Digital Age of Majority” set at 15.
While both Greece and Australia share the common goal of safeguarding children’s mental well-being, their enforcement approaches differ significantly. Australia’s existing under-16 ban places the responsibility on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to identify and remove underage accounts.
Since its launch in December 2025, Australia’s platform-centric model has encountered challenges. The eSafety Commissioner recently expressed “significant concerns” regarding platforms enabling children to bypass verification checks or lacking adequate reporting tools for parents.
Australia’s ban affects ten major social networks deemed “high-risk” but exempts educational and messaging services like Google Classroom and WhatsApp. The Greek proposal is part of a comprehensive framework that also restricts minors from engaging in online gambling, dating apps, and purchasing tobacco and alcohol.
Meanwhile, the UK government is actively exploring the possibility of an outright social media ban for children under 16 through a prominent national consultation and legislative deliberation. A three-month government consultation on “digital wellbeing” seeks input on restrictions such as overnight curfews and “app caps,” closing on May 26, 2026.
In the legislative domain, the House of Lords has twice opposed the government by adding an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill mandating a social media ban for under-16s. The House of Commons previously rejected this provision in March 2026, with the bill set to return to the Commons on April 15, 2026.
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