Greece considers social media ban for children under 16

Greece is reportedly considering a ban on social media use for minors under the age of 16, following examples set by other European countries such as France.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the proposal during the event “Protecting Children in the Digital Age”, held as part of the High-Level Week of the 80th UN General Assembly and organized by Australia. He emphasized the need for global action to protect children from the negative effects of uncontrolled social media use.

Mitsotakis warned: “We are conducting the largest unregulated experiment ever on the minds of our children. We do not know the consequences, but we are almost certain they will not be positive.”

Highlighting measures already taken in Greece, he pointed to the ban on mobile phones in schools, which he said had a “transformative impact on the educational experience.” He also presented a new digital tool, parco.gov.gr, which provides age verification and parental control mechanisms, offering practical support for parents to safeguard their children online.

The Prime Minister stressed that Greece is prepared to explore setting a “digital age of majority” in close collaboration with international partners. “We cannot use the challenges of implementing these policies as an excuse not to act,” he said.

Mitsotakis also warned that the challenge extends beyond social media to the interaction of children with artificial intelligence tools, asking: “Do we really want our children to have digital friends who may lead them into unacceptable or even destructive behaviors?” He called on technology companies to recognize who sets the rules and avoid profiting from children’s vulnerability.

Closing his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized the responsibility of governments to cooperate with tech companies while making it clear “who sets the rules”, calling for international collaboration and collective action.