Greece to ban social media for children under 15 starting 2027

Greece will prohibit children under 15 from using social media platforms beginning January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Wednesday. The policy makes Greece the latest nation to impose age-based restrictions on social media access, following similar measures in Australia, France, and Italy. Mitsotakis cited concerns about sleep disruption, rising anxiety, and the addictive design of social media platforms as justification for the ban. The proposal includes a standardized age-verification system with repeated checks every six months. The prime minister also sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advocating for a unified European framework establishing a "digital age of majority" of 15 years. The European Parliament voted in November to recommend similar restrictions requiring parental consent for users aged 13 to 15.