Greece Orders Parents to Deploy State Apps That Lock Out Preteens From Social Media

The Greek parliament approved a law restricting social media access for children under the age of 15, with the measure set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The legislation makes Greece one of the first European Union member states to legally limit preteen access to these platforms. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the initiative earlier this year, describing the bill as difficult but necessary.

The rule applies to major services including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. These platforms must implement age-verification methods that are reliable and proportionate. Companies that fail to comply will face fines under the EU's Digital Services Act.

On the household front, parents are required to download state-backed applications named Kids Wallet or Gov.gr. These apps pair with a child's device to block access to the restricted services. Digital Governance and AI Minister Dimitris Papastergiou stated that the software is designed to protect privacy by using age tokens. These tokens confirm a person's age while disclosing the minimum amount of personal information possible.

Papastergiou defended the decision to act before EU-wide regulations were finalized. He noted that waiting for a perfect European law would have been easy, but the challenge is immediate. He argued that children are sinking into the internet daily, and a responsible government must act accordingly.

The legislation passed with the support of the governing majority, as minority parties opposed the bill. Greek adults largely support the restriction, according to recent opinion polls. The country previously banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. Mitsotakis said the government aims to push the EU in the same direction, although the recently introduced EU Kids Act currently calls for an outright ban only for children under 13.

Australia was the first nation to enact a full social media ban for children. Implementing age verification in that country has proven challenging. Greece's approach with state-backed apps will now need to address similar difficulties in execution.