Greece joins countries putting age-limits on social media, banning access for kids under 15

The Greek parliament passed the bill by a majority vote on Thursday, with the New Democracy party as the sole supporting bloc. Opposition parties SYRIZA, Greek Solution, KKE, Niki, and Freedom Course voted against it, while PASOK abstained.

Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou described the ban as necessary, effective, proportionate, and EU-law-compliant. He stated that social media platforms have until January 1, 2027, to determine if their services are intended for adults.

Papastergiou argued that lawmakers could not wait for the European Union to pass a 'perfect European law' on the issue. He pointed to similar age limits on alcohol and tobacco sales to minors as a justification for the move.

The minister defended the use of an app called 'Kid's Wallet' to enforce the law. He emphasized that the app does not collect any personal data about children other than whether they are over or under 15 years of age.

Greece is one of seven EU countries seeking to introduce standards for age verification on social media. Proponents of such measures argue that they will curb 'endless scrolling' that deprives children of sleep, destroys their attention span, and keeps them from playing outdoors.