Greece is moving forward with a social media ban for children under the age of 15, becoming the latest country to restrict young teens from using such online platforms.
On Wednesday, April 8, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to restrict social media use by age starting on January 1, 2027, Reuters reports.
In a video announcement directed to Greece’s young people, the prime minister cited concerns such as trouble sleeping, increasing anxiety, and social media platforms’ addictive designs.
In the video, Mitsotakis also pointed to factors such as children not allowing their minds to rest, feeling constant comparisons, and spending long hours scrolling through their phones.
Mitsotakis followed the announcement with a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Greek news organization Oema reports.
In the letter, the prime minister detailed Greece’s plans and pushed for a “unified European framework” on the issue by the end of the year.
Mitsotakis proposes a standard age-verification system, repeated verification every six months, and a European “digital age of majority” of 15-years-old—or the minimum age to use social media.
