Greece are the latest European country to restrict children’s exposure to online platforms with their recent announcement to ban social media access for under-15s. The restriction will be implemented from January 2027.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reasoned that the move was aimed at dealing with rising anxiety and sleep issues among young people. He said he had spoken with parents who said their children do not sleep well, are anxious and are always on their phones.
In an Instagram video, he said, “Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online.” He has acknowledged the restriction will be “difficult but necessary.”
Mitsotakis clarified that this ban in no way aims to distance young people from technology, which he thinks can be a source of “inspiration, knowledge and creativity,” but will combat the “addictive design of certain applications,” and how the “business model [is] based on capturing your attention… takes away your innocence and your freedom.”
“This has to stop somewhere,” he declared.
In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to require TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and other top sites to remove accounts held by under-16s or they would face heavy fines.
Social media companies argue that blanket bans would be ineffective, difficult to enforce and could isolate vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is challenging Australia’s law in court.
Mitsotakis said Greece will seek EU-level action to protect minors online, urging a common framework to “complement and reinforce the necessary national initiatives for the protection of minors.” His proposals include mandatory age checks for under-15s, a Europe-wide ban for that age group, and requiring platforms to verify users’ ages every six months.
Further details of the framework to enforce the ban will be outlined on Wednesday next week.
Source: BBC
