The government of Greece has announced plans to block access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15 starting January 1, 2027, in a move aimed at tackling growing concerns about digital addiction and the impact of prolonged screen time on young people.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis disclosed the decision on Wednesday in a video message shared on TikTok, describing the measure as a difficult but necessary step to protect children.
“We have decided to go ahead with a difficult but necessary measure: ban access to social media for children under 15 years old,” Mitsotakis said.
He added that Greece would be among the first countries in the world to implement such restrictions and pledged to push the European Union to adopt similar rules across member states.
The prime minister explained that he intentionally used social media to make the announcement so he could address teenagers and younger audiences directly.
“I know that some of you are going to be angry,” he said. “Our aim is not to keep you away from technology but to combat addiction to certain applications that harm your innocence and your freedom.”
Mitsotakis also cited scientific findings on the effects of excessive screen exposure on children.
“Science is clear: when a child is in front of screens for hours, their brain does not rest,” he said.
Greece’s decision comes as several countries around the world introduce tougher rules to regulate children’s access to social networking platforms.
In December, Australia became the first nation to require platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to remove accounts belonging to users under 16 or face heavy fines.
Similarly, Indonesia began enforcing a social media ban for users under the age of 16 in March and has already issued summons letters to technology firms including Google and Meta Platforms over alleged non-compliance.
Elsewhere in Europe, Austria recently announced plans to ban social media use for children under 14, with legislation expected to be presented later this year. Meanwhile, Spain and Denmark have also indicated plans to introduce a digital age requirement for social networking platforms.