Greece is set to implement a ban on social media access for children under 15 starting from January 1, 2027, as announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mitsotakis revealed this decision in a video shared on TikTok, emphasizing the necessity of this measure despite its challenges.
Being one of the pioneering nations to take such action, Greece aims to lead by example and is urging the European Union to consider similar regulations. The prime minister utilized social media to directly address young individuals, acknowledging that some may react negatively to the news. The primary goal behind the ban is not to restrict access to technology but to combat addiction to specific applications that can negatively impact the innocence and freedom of children.
Mitsotakis highlighted the scientific evidence indicating that prolonged screen time can hinder brain rest in children. Previously, in December, Australia became the first country to mandate platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to delete accounts belonging to individuals under 16, under the threat of significant penalties.
In a similar vein, Indonesia enforced a ban on social media for users under 16 in March, prompting legal actions against tech giants like Google and Meta for non-compliance. Austria also recently announced plans to restrict social media for children up to 14 years old, with intentions to introduce a new law possibly by the upcoming summer.
Furthermore, Spain and Denmark have disclosed their plans to establish a digital age threshold for social networking sites, aligning with the global trend of addressing concerns related to underage social media usage.