Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15
Greece has joined the global effort to protect children’s mental health and stop online addiction. The country’s parliament has passed a strict bill that bans social media use for children under 15.
The ruling party New Democracy, led by Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, passed the law on Friday with its majority in parliament. The bill faced heated debate and did not win support from the opposition parties. In April this year, Mr. Mitsotakis first announced this tough but necessary step in a video message on TikTok itself.
The new law will take effect on January 1, 2027. It requires social media platforms to verify the age of their users. It also sets strict penalties for companies that break the rules.
Analysts say the addictive algorithms of big tech companies keep children glued to their screens. They also say these algorithms harm children’s mental health badly. Greece took this step amid such concerns.
With this move, Greece joins a list of about 20 countries, including Australia, France, Brazil and the United Kingdom. These countries have banned or limited social media use for minors. However, some critics still doubt how well these laws will work and how they will be enforced.
