Strong public support and rising concern among parents are pushing Greece toward stricter limits on youth access to social platforms
Greece is expected to announce a ban on social media use for children under 15 in the coming days, according to Reuters, as the government moves to address concerns over online safety and screen use among minors.
The proposal reflects an issue many families have already been dealing with. Children are starting to use social media at younger ages, and parents often struggle to limit time spent online.
An opinion poll published in February by ALCO found that about 80% of respondents in Greece support restricting access to social media for younger users, suggesting broad public backing for stronger measures.
Reuters report from Athens
Officials and child-safety groups have pointed to a rise in cases linked to online behavior, including cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content. Across Europe, surveys show that most teenagers use social media daily, often starting before the platforms’ official minimum age. In Greece, data from the Safer Internet Center, based on helpline reporting, indicate how early exposure can begin, with roughly 75% of children in its dataset still in primary school.
At the same time, research on the effects of social media remains mixed. Some studies associate heavy use with anxiety, sleep disruption, and online harassment, while others caution against drawing direct causal conclusions.
The government has already introduced measures aimed at limiting exposure. Mobile phones have been restricted in schools, and a parental-control and age-verification system known as “Kids Wallet” has been launched to help families manage children’s access to digital services.
How a broader ban would be enforced remains unclear. Online age verification is difficult to implement consistently, and enforcement would likely depend on a combination of platform compliance and parental oversight.
The proposal has also drawn criticism from organizations such as European Digital Rights, a network of digital rights groups, which argue that age-based bans do not address underlying issues such as platform design and digital literacy, and may push younger users toward less-regulated online spaces.
Similar debates are already underway across Europe. France has passed legislation requiring parental consent for users under 15, though enforcement mechanisms are still being developed, while Spain has outlined plans for stricter age-based controls that have yet to be finalized.
In Greece, the discussion reflects a shift from family-level concerns to government action. Whether a ban can be effectively implemented or achieve its intended impact remains an open question.