The Greek government presented a draft law on Monday banning social media access to minors below 15 years old. The ban will be implemented as of January 1, 2027.
Greece seeks to address the problems associated with use of social media by minors ahead of an equivalent European regulation that is still progressing through the legislative process
According to media, the government unveiled the draft law through a series of 28 Questions and Answers.
Key points and clarification regarding a Greek draft law regulating the access of minors to social media are as follows:
Greece is moving to introduce a minimum age of 15 for access to social media platforms as of January 1, 2027, with measures that seek to protect children from the risks of the digital world without unduly restricting their access to information, communication and freedom of expression.
These risks were identified as excessive use, exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and platform mechanisms that encourage users to remain online for longer, causing concern among parents, teachers and experts. At the same time, social networks provide young people with spaces for socialising, creativity and the exchange of ideas, making a carefully designed and proportionate intervention necessary.
At a European level, the proposed EU KIDS Act aims to establish a broader framework for protecting minors, with an emphasis on age verification, the safety of digital services and providers’ responsibilities. However, the European initiative is not yet an applicable Regulation.
The government guide seeks to explain the differences between the Greek legislation and the European proposal, providing information and clarifications on what is envisaged and what is still under discussion.
While the Greek measure establishes a minimum age for social media use, this is not a general ban on using the internet or owning a mobile phone. It applies to children born in 2013, while all children born within a calendar year are considered to have reached the age of 15 on January 1, regardless of their actual birth date.
The Q&A also outlines the evidence in support of the measure, the assessment of the impact of such legislation, the types of platforms covered by the ban, the lack of exemptions for parental permission and existing accounts of minors and details on how age will be verified.
It also clarifies that age verification will not necessarily require all users to identify themselves or use the Kids Wallet, explaining that the “there is no general requirement to send an identity document to the platform,” and that “an age token can confirm that the threshold has been met”, while explaining that the EU KIDS Act will use a zero-knowledge proof technology that must not enable identification, location tracking, surveillance or profiling.
Other questions address the issue of possible exclusion, possible cybersecurity and personal data risks, the responsibilities of platforms and where to file complaints, clarifies that users aged 15-17 remain minors and providers still have a duty to protect them, the need for regulation to complement education in digital literacy against “design features encouraging problematic use”.
The final questions address the differences between the Greek measure and the EU Act, which is to have a broader scope if adopted and allow special restricted accounts for children aged 13 and 14, the penalties and obligations of providers and how the success of the measure will be assessed.
“Assessment should examine actual compliance with the age limit, problematic use, children’s sleep and wellbeing, unjustified exclusions, verification errors and migration to less safe services,” it said, adding that the government will systematically evaluate implementation at national level, with scientific support and the participation of parents, teachers and children, in order to make corrections and adjustments.
PS I have not understood much, but I’m not a minor or a parent of a minor…