Starting January 1, 2027, Greek children under 15 will be banned from social media, announced Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday. In a direct message posted on TikTok, Mitsotakis spoke to the generation most affected: “I know some of you will be upset… This isn’t about keeping you away from technology. It’s about protecting your innocence and freedom from apps that fuel addiction.”
Calling the move a world-first, the prime minister said he plans to push the European Union to consider similar measures, positioning Greece as a potential pioneer in digital child protection.
Australia made history last December by becoming the first country to force major platforms—TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and others—to delete accounts of users under 16 or face steep fines. Indonesia followed in March, rolling out its own under-16 social media ban and already summoning tech giants like Google and Meta for failing to comply.
Last month, Austria announced plans to bar children under 14 from social media, with a new law expected “as early as this summer.” Spain and Denmark are also joining the wave, signaling their intent to set a legal digital age of majority for social networks.
