Greece unveils bill to keep under-15s off social media from January 1, 2027
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Greek ministers presented a bill on October 12, 2026 barring under-15s from social media from January 2027; a parliamentary vote is set for October 22.
What Happened
Greece's government presented a bill on Monday, October 12, 2026, that would stop children under 15 from holding accounts on major social media platforms from January 1, 2027. Ministers Akis Skertsos, Adonis Georgiadis and Dimitris Papastergiou set out the framework in Athens. The bill was due to go to a parliamentary committee on October 13, and the government aims to put it to a vote in the full Parliament on October 22. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced the plan in April 2026.
Key Facts
- The age limit is 15, and it is counted by year of birth rather than exact birthday, so children born in 2013 or later would be covered from January 2027.
- The first platforms named include Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, with more services to be added in stages.
- The ban would apply to existing accounts as well as new ones, and parental consent would not create an exception.
- Platforms, not families, carry the duty to check age. Self-declared birth dates would no longer be enough.
- The bill names two state apps, Kids.gov.gr Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet, as examples of acceptable age-check tools. Platforms may use other tools that meet EU rules.
- According to the digital governance minister, the Kids Wallet would send platforms only a yes-or-no signal on whether the user is over the age limit, not a date of birth.
- Enforcement would run through the EU's Digital Services Act, under which fines can reach 6% of a platform's global annual turnover, Papastergiou said.
Why It Matters
Greece is moving faster than the European Union as a whole. In September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a planned EU Kids Act that would bar under-13s from social media. Reports on the Greek bill say the national law is designed to give way automatically once an EU-wide rule takes effect. Until then, Greece wants its own, stricter line at 15.
The design choice that stands out is where the burden falls. Earlier debates on children's screen time often ended with advice to parents. This bill puts the legal duty on the companies. It also tries to answer the privacy objection that age checks mean handing over identity documents: the state wallet confirms only whether a user is above or below the threshold.
Ministers have not claimed the system will be watertight. Papastergiou has acknowledged that some children may try to get around it with virtual private networks or a parent's phone. Supporters argue that a rule which changes the default for most children is still worth having even if some slip through.
Greece is part of a wider wave. Australia's ban for under-16s took effect in December 2025, and the Philippine Senate voted 16-1 this month for a ban covering users under 18, though the President has said a blanket ban is still being studied. For young people in India, these laws show the direction global platforms are being pushed in: stronger age checks and different experiences for younger users, changes that platforms often test in one market and later roll out elsewhere.
| Country | Age limit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greece | Under 15 | Bill presented October 12, 2026; vote set for October 22; start January 1, 2027 |
| Australia | Under 16 | In force since December 2025 |
| Philippines | Under 18 | Passed by Senate 16-1; House bill differs |
| EU (proposed Kids Act) | Under 13 | Announced in September 2026 |
Impact
Short-term: If Parliament passes the bill on October 22, platforms will have about ten weeks to set up age checks for Greek users and to deal with existing accounts held by younger teenagers.
Long-term: Greece's experience with a state-run, privacy-preserving age signal is likely to be watched by other EU countries and by Brussels as it drafts its own rules.
Who is affected: Children in Greece born in 2013 or later, their parents, schools, and the social media companies that serve Greek users.
Key Takeaway
Greece wants platforms, not parents, to keep under-15s off social media from January 2027, using a state app that confirms age without sharing a birth date.
Questions and Answers
When would the Greek social media ban start?
The government plans for it to apply from January 1, 2027, provided Parliament approves the bill, with a vote scheduled for October 22, 2026.
Can parents give permission for a child under 15 to stay on social media?
No. Under the bill as presented, parental consent does not create an exception, and the rule also covers accounts that already exist.
How would platforms know a user's age?
They would have to use a reliable age check. The bill names the state Kids.gov.gr Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet apps as examples; the Kids Wallet only tells the platform whether the user is above or below the limit.
What happens to a platform that does not comply?
Enforcement would go through the EU Digital Services Act, under which the minister said fines can reach 6% of a company's global annual turnover.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
