Greece to ban social media for under-15-year-olds

Greece will ban under-15s from social media from next year.

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed the ban on Wednesday morning,  citing rising anxiety, sleep problems, and the ​addictive design of online platforms, announcing it would begin on 1 January 2027.

In a video message to Greek children, the PM said spending long hours ​in front of screens doesn’t allow their minds to rest, and they faced growing pressure from constant ​comparison on social media and online comments.

The Greek prime minister ​said he had spoken with many parents who reported that their children do not sleep well, ​become anxious easily and spend long hours on their phones.

“Greece will be ​among the first countries to take ​such an initiative,” Mr Mitsotakis said.

“I am certain, ​however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well.”

An opinion poll by ALCO published in February showed about 80% of those surveyed approved of a ban. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools ​and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers’ screen time.

According to local reporting, Greece’s ban is likely to be enforced through a state-mandated app that is installed on all devices.

The app can block access to social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and is already used to stop underage teenagers in the country from buying cigarettes and alcohol.

There is widespread support for a ban among adults in Greece, with 80% supporting the restrictions, according to polling firm ALCO.

According to the Greek Safer Internet ‌Centre in Athens, 75% of children using social media in Greece are of primary‑school age.

“Ban them, shut them down. We’ve ​reached our limits… We parents need help,” one mother told the Reuters news agency before the ban was confirmed.