A new regulatory framework restricting minors’ access to social media is heading to the Greek Parliament, set to take effect on January 1, 2027 — fundamentally changing how children and teenagers interact with social media platforms.
Social media: Monday’s briefing on Greece’s 15-year age limit
Ahead of the bill’s submission to Parliament, Minister of State Akis Skertsος, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, and Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou will hold a press conference on Monday at the Bodosakeio Megaron to present the details of the Greek regulation, which sets the minimum age for accessing social media platforms at 15 years old.
It is worth noting that Greece had already opened this debate before the protection of minors on social media became a broader European concern. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly approximately two years ago. The next step is now legislation, with the Greek government moving forward to implement the age restriction at a time when the European Union is also developing a framework that takes a different approach for children aged 13 to 15 — allowing access through specially designed, restricted social media environments with enhanced operational limitations.
Social media: What Greece’s law proposes and how it compares to the EU KIDS Act
At the European level, the legislative process for the EU KIDS Act is currently underway. This European Commission proposal aims to establish a broader child protection framework for the digital environment — covering not only social media, but also video platforms, online games, app stores, and artificial intelligence services.
Regarding Greece’s regulation, the 15-year minimum age requirement will apply to services where users create profiles, publish content, and interact with other users. Private messaging services are not included in the scope of the regulation. When it comes to verifying users’ ages, the primary responsibility will fall on the platforms themselves, which will be required to use reliable age verification mechanisms. However, the Greek bill does not mandate any single specific method of age verification.
The kids.gov.gr Wallet and the gov.gr Wallet are cited as recommended examples of compliant solutions, though neither will be made mandatory. Platforms will be free to use other equivalent solutions, provided they meet European standards for reliability and privacy protection. According to the EU KIDS Act proposal, children aged 13 to 14 would be permitted to use social media only through a special, restricted account created and supervised by a parent or guardian, while from the age of 15 onwards, they would be able to create an account without parental consent.
