Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government has secured parliamentary approval for legislation restricting social media access for children under 15, with implementation scheduled for January 1.

Greece Passes Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

Mitsotakis Government Secures Approval for Social Media Ban on Children

By News Desk On Oct 26, 2026

ATHENS: (News Desk) – Greece’s parliament has passed legislation banning children under the age of 15 from using social media, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions to protect young people online.

The bill was passed on Friday after a heated parliamentary debate that began on Thursday and continued into the following day. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s conservative New Democracy party used its parliamentary majority to secure approval, while no other party supported the legislation, according to the ANA news agency.

Mitsotakis announced the proposed ban in April, explaining the government’s position in a video posted on TikTok, a platform popular among young people in Greece. He described the measure as “difficult but necessary”.

The opposition socialist Pasok party abstained from the vote after proposing an alternative plan that would have prohibited social media use for children under 13 and introduced parental controls for those aged 13 and 14. Other left-wing and nationalist parties voted against the bill.

The legislation is scheduled to take effect on January 1 and will require social media platforms to verify users’ ages. Companies that fail to comply will face significant penalties.

The move comes amid growing international concern about the impact of social media on children. Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide social media ban for children under 16 last year, while more than 20 countries have passed similar laws, according to an AFP tally.

Supporters of such restrictions argue that addictive platform designs and algorithms can encourage excessive screen time and potentially harm young people’s mental health.

However, the measures have also attracted criticism from free-speech advocates, while sceptics question whether age restrictions can be effectively enforced and whether they will achieve their intended goals.