Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15

Prime Minister Mitsotakis announces new law to protect young people from online harms.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 5:42pm

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A moody, cinematic painting depicting the solitary silhouette of a young person sitting on a park bench, their face obscured as they stare down at a smartphone, with the city skyline in the background bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight.Greece's new social media ban for minors aims to shield young people from the potential harms of excessive online engagement.Athens Today

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a new law that will ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms. The move is aimed at protecting young people from the potential harms of social media, including cyberbullying, misinformation, and excessive screen time.

Why it matters

This policy reflects growing global concerns about the negative impacts of social media on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Greece is the first European country to implement such a sweeping ban, setting a precedent that could inspire similar measures in other nations.

The details

Under the new law, social media companies will be required to verify the age of all users and prevent access for anyone under 15 years old. Parents will also be able to monitor and control their children's social media usage. Violations of the law will result in fines for both the social media platforms and parents.

  • Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced the new policy in a TikTok video on April 8, 2026.

The players

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

The current Prime Minister of Greece, leading the center-right New Democracy party. He has made child protection a key priority of his administration.

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What they’re saying

“Six-SevenNow that I have your attention-hello everyone.”

— Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece

What’s next

The new law is expected to go into effect later this year, with social media companies given a grace period to implement the necessary age verification systems.

The takeaway

Greece's bold move to ban social media for minors under 15 reflects a growing global awareness of the potential harms of unchecked social media use by young people. This policy could set an important precedent for other countries seeking to better protect children in the digital age.