Greece Sets 2027 Deadline for Social Media Age Checks, Threatens Wider Digital Crackdown

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has given social media companies until January 1, 2027 to enforce mandatory age verification or face legal consequences, as Greece moves to ban platform access for children under 15 and signals further regulation of video games and online

Speaking to parenting portal infokids.gr, Mr. Mitsotakis said legislation will require tech platforms to comprehensively verify user ages by the deadline, effectively barring young teenagers from major social networks.

He described the measure as a direct response to rising rates of internet addiction and deteriorating mental health among minors.

The prime minister also stressed the need to equip families with practical tools, pointing to digital monitoring applications that allow parents to track and limit their children's screen time alongside the legislative framework.

Mr. Mitsotakis made clear the crackdown would not stop at social media.

He explicitly flagged potential regulatory action targeting the video game industry and digital gambling platforms, describing both as significant drivers of addictive behavior among young people.

The domestic push runs parallel to a broader diplomatic campaign.

Mr. Mitsotakis has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging coordinated EU-wide regulation of social media for minors, arguing that national measures alone are insufficient against platforms that operate across borders.

He first raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly in late 2024.

Greece joins Australia, which enacted a social media ban for under-16s in late 2024, and several European countries pursuing similar restrictions, reflecting a widening political consensus that tech self-regulation has failed to protect children online.

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has given social media companies until January 1, 2027 to enforce mandatory age verification or face legal consequences, as Greece moves to ban platform access for children under 15 and signals further regulation of video games and online gambling.

Speaking to parenting portal infokids.gr, Mr. Mitsotakis said legislation will require tech platforms to comprehensively verify user ages by the deadline, effectively barring young teenagers from major social networks.

He described the measure as a direct response to rising rates of internet addiction and deteriorating mental health among minors.

The prime minister also stressed the need to equip families with practical tools, pointing to digital monitoring applications that allow parents to track and limit their children's screen time alongside the legislative framework.

Mr. Mitsotakis made clear the crackdown would not stop at social media.

He explicitly flagged potential regulatory action targeting the video game industry and digital gambling platforms, describing both as significant drivers of addictive behavior among young people.

The domestic push runs parallel to a broader diplomatic campaign.

Mr. Mitsotakis has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging coordinated EU-wide regulation of social media for minors, arguing that national measures alone are insufficient against platforms that operate across borders.

He first raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly in late 2024.

Greece joins Australia, which enacted a social media ban for under-16s in late 2024, and several European countries pursuing similar restrictions, reflecting a widening political consensus that tech self-regulation has failed to protect children online.

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr