Greece Introduces Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

Thu Apr 09 2026 04:15:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Beginning January next year, Greece will impose restrictions on social media access for individuals under the age of 15 to address rising concerns about mental health among youth.

In a significant move aimed at protecting young people's mental health, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the country will ban social media access for those under 15 starting next January. This decision follows similar actions by other countries, reflecting a growing concern regarding the negative impacts of social media on youth, including anxiety and sleep disturbances. The government seeks to establish a regulatory framework and to push for a consistent European approach to this issue.

Greece has announced plans to ban access to social media for under-15s, becoming the latest European country to restrict children's exposure to online platforms.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move was aimed at tackling rising anxiety and sleep problems among young people, as well as what he described as the addictive design of social media.

The restriction will come into force from January of next year.

In December, 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 face heavy fines. France, Austria and Spain are among a growing number of nations pursuing similar curbs.

The UK government has launched a consultation on whether to implement a ban for under-16s, while Ireland and Denmark are considering similar measures.

Social media companies argue that blanket bans will be ineffective, difficult to enforce and could isolate vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is challenging Australia's law in court.

In a video message posted on TikTok on Wednesday, Mitsotakis stated, Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online. He reported conversations with parents who expressed concern that their children do not sleep well, are anxious, and are constantly on their phones.

Describing the planned restriction as difficult but necessary, he emphasized that the government's aim is not to alienate young people from technology, which can serve as a source of inspiration and knowledge. However, he pointed out that the addictive design of certain applications compromises the innocence and freedom of kids, necessitating change.

Further details of the regulatory framework to enforce the ban will be outlined later on Wednesday.

Mitsotakis also stated that Greece would advocate for action at the European level. He proposed a common EU framework to complement and reinforce national initiatives focused on protecting minors, which includes mandatory age verification across platforms and regular re-checks of users' ages.

The debate over children's use of social media has intensified in recent months, with increasing evidence regarding its adverse effects on mental health, highlighted by a landmark US trial where Meta and YouTube were found liable for a woman's childhood addiction to social media.

In response, both companies asserted their disagreement with the verdict and their intention to appeal, emphasizing that mental health issues among teens are complex and cannot be attributed to a single app.