Lawmakers in Greece approved legislation on Friday to bar individuals under 15 years old from accessing social media platforms, making the country part of a rising global trend placing restrictions on youth app usage.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first revealed intentions for this restriction back in April by posting a video on TikTok, where he described the policy as a hard yet essential step.
Following an intense discussion during a legislative meeting that continued through Friday, the conservative New Democracy party of Mitsotakis leveraged its majority to push the legislation through without support from any other political groups.
The socialist PASOK faction chose to abstain after pushing for a different proposal that would have restricted access for children under 13 while mandating parental controls for teenagers aged 13 and 14. Meanwhile, various nationalist and left-wing factions cast opposing votes.
Scheduled to become operational on January 1, the measure mandates age checks across social platforms and introduces severe fines for businesses that break the rules.
Australia made history last year as the initial nation to enforce a youth social media restriction by blocking children under 16. Data from an AFP count shows that over 20 nations have enacted comparable legislation.
Opponents argue that these digital platforms employ habit-forming algorithms to trap young users, cautioning that heavy usage harms psychological well-being. At the same time, these restrictions draw resistance from free-speech defenders, while doubters question their effectiveness.
