Greece Mandates Digital Age Checks for Under-15s Starting 2027

For families in Greece, the way their children access the digital world will shift dramatically at the start of next year. Beginning January 1, 2027, a newly enacted law will restrict social media usage for those under the age of 15. This legislative move marks a significant change in daily routines for parents and teenagers alike, as access to popular platforms will no longer be open by default but will require specific verification and parental oversight.

The core of the new regulation requires major social media services, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, to implement proportionate and reliable age-verification methods. While the European Union’s Digital Services Act already exists, Greece is now among the first member states to impose such a specific national ban. The government argues that waiting for a unified European solution was too slow given the current pace of digital engagement among young people.

To enforce these rules, the state is introducing two specific mobile applications: Kids Wallet and Gov.gr. Parents will be required to download one of these apps and link it to their child’s device to block access if the age threshold is not met. Dimitris Papastergiou, the minister for digital governance and AI, explained that these tools are designed to protect privacy. They utilize 'age tokens' to confirm a user's age while minimizing the amount of personal data shared with platforms, aiming to balance security with data protection.

The political path to this law was not without friction. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the bill as 'difficult but necessary' when he first announced the measure earlier this year. Although minority parties in parliament opposed the legislation, the governing majority secured its passage. This national strategy follows a 2024 decision to ban mobile phones in schools, suggesting a broader governmental effort to manage students' technology exposure. Recent opinion polls indicate that the adult population in Greece largely supports this new restriction.

The context for this legislation is increasingly international. Australia became the first country to enact a full social media ban for children, though it has faced challenges in effectively implementing age verification. Meanwhile, the European Commission has recently proposed the EU Kids Act, which would mandate an outright ban only for children under 13. Mitsotakis has stated that his government aims to push the wider European Union in the same direction, hoping that Greece’s early action will set a precedent for future continental standards.

As the law approaches its effective date, the focus turns to the practicalities of compliance. Platforms will face fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act if they fail to meet the new standards. For ordinary households, the coming months will likely involve setting up these new state-backed apps and adjusting to a more regulated digital environment for their younger members. The measure represents a decisive step by a national government to intervene directly in the design and access of social media services.