Greece is preparing to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, according to a senior government source, in what could become one of Europe’s most assertive child online-safety measures. The policy, expected to be formally announced soon, is aimed at reducing minors’ exposure to harmful content, addictive platform design, and online behavioral risks while giving parents stronger legal backing to control early digital access.
Officials involved in drafting the measure say the initiative is part of a broader youth protection strategy that addresses growing alarm over children’s screen time, mental health pressures, and cyberbullying incidents. The government is expected to frame the restriction not as an anti-technology move but as a child-development safeguard designed to delay exposure to high-engagement social networking environments until mid-adolescence.
Under the expected framework, children below 15 would be restricted from creating or maintaining accounts on major social media platforms. This would likely include networks centered on short videos, social feeds, live streaming, and large-scale public interaction. Messaging and educational tools may be treated differently, depending on how regulators define social media within the final legal text.
Policy planners say the decision follows months of consultation with educators, psychologists, digital policy specialists, and parent groups. Authorities have been reviewing research linking early and excessive social media use to anxiety, sleep disruption, reduced attention span, and negative self-image among adolescents. Officials are particularly concerned about algorithm-driven feeds that amplify sensational content and encourage prolonged usage.
The government is expected to place significant responsibility on technology companies to enforce the rule. Proposed enforcement mechanisms include mandatory age-verification systems, stricter onboarding checks, and default safety settings for youth accounts. Platforms operating in Greece may be required to demonstrate compliance through technical safeguards that prevent underage registration.
One enforcement approach under discussion involves linking age verification to secure digital identity tools or device-level parental control systems. Regulators are also examining whether app marketplaces and mobile carriers could play a supporting role in limiting underage access. Companies that fail to comply with the rules could face financial penalties or operational limitations within the country.
Officials acknowledge that enforcement presents technical and legal challenges. Children often bypass age gates by entering false birth dates, and virtual private networks can complicate location-based restrictions. To address this, the government is expected to emphasize layered verification methods and platform accountability rather than relying solely on self-reported age data.
Supporters of the measure argue that voluntary safeguards introduced by social media companies have not been sufficient. They say a clear legal age threshold removes ambiguity and supports parents who struggle to monitor digital behavior amid peer pressure and widespread smartphone access. Parent associations have reportedly welcomed the move, describing it as a necessary reset in how early teens engage with online social environments.
Education stakeholders say the ban could also help reduce classroom distraction and social comparison pressures that increasingly spill into school life. Teachers have observed that conflicts originating on social platforms often carry into offline settings, affecting student well-being and academic focus. By delaying platform access, they argue, children may develop stronger social and emotional skills before entering high-intensity online spaces.
Child development experts advising policymakers have stressed that early adolescence is a sensitive psychological period. They argue that reward-driven platform design — including likes, shares, and follower metrics — can shape self-worth and behavior patterns before emotional regulation is fully developed. A later entry point, they suggest, may reduce vulnerability to validation-seeking cycles and online harassment.
However, critics are expected to question both the effectiveness and proportionality of a blanket ban. Digital rights advocates warn that strict prohibitions can push young users toward less regulated corners of the internet or encourage secret account creation, potentially increasing risk rather than reducing it. They also raise privacy concerns about age-verification systems that may require identity documentation or biometric checks.
Technology industry observers say compliance could be complex, especially for global platforms operating across multiple legal jurisdictions. They note that consistent enforcement standards, appeals processes, and data-protection safeguards will be necessary to avoid wrongful account blocks and privacy violations. Smaller platforms may face higher compliance burdens than larger companies with established verification infrastructure.
Youth advocates have also urged the government to pair restrictions with digital literacy education rather than relying on prohibition alone. They argue that teaching children how to navigate online spaces responsibly — including recognizing manipulation, misinformation, and harmful behavior — is essential for long-term safety. Government planners indicate that expanded school-based digital awareness programs are likely to accompany the new rule.
Legal analysts say the durability of the measure will depend on how precisely social media is defined and how privacy protections are built into enforcement systems. The government is expected to design the policy to align with broader European data-protection and child-safety standards to reduce the risk of legal challenges.
If implemented, the under-15 social media ban would place Greece among the leading countries pursuing age-based digital safeguards for minors. The move reflects a broader international shift toward tighter oversight of platform impact on children and teenagers, as governments reconsider how to balance digital participation with developmental protection.
A formal announcement is anticipated soon, followed by legislative steps and regulatory guidance. The proposal is already prompting debate among parents, educators, technology firms, and civil society groups — signaling that the conversation about children and social media is entering a new regulatory phase.
