Greece Bans Social Media for Kids Under 15 Starting 2027, Pressures EU to Follow

Greece will ban access to social media platforms for children under 15 from January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakis Mitsotakis announced Wednesday. The policy targets platforms promoting "endless scrolling" — specifically Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat — but exempts messaging and video services like WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, and YouTube. Platforms will be required to verify user age, with the government pushing for a European "Digital Age of Majority" at 15 and biannual re-verification to prevent circumvention.

Mitsotakis made the announcement via TikTok, directly addressing teenagers: "Our aim is not to keep you away from technology but to combat addiction to certain applications that harms your innocence and your freedom." He cited scientific evidence linking excessive screen time to impaired child brain development. Greece joins a growing global trend: Australia began enforcing a ban for under-16s in December 2023, Indonesia started for under-16s in March 2024, and Austria plans a ban for under-14s. However, early enforcement has been challenging — Australia's watchdog found many children still accessing banned platforms.

For Nigerians, this highlights a worldwide debate on protecting youth from social media harms while balancing digital access. Nigeria has no current nationwide age-restriction law, though concerns about youth mental health and online safety are rising. The Greek model shifts enforcement burden to platforms rather than parents or children.

Would a similar social media age ban be effective in Nigeria, or would digital literacy programs and stronger parental controls be more realistic given infrastructure and enforcement challenges?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/04/08/greece-to-ban-social-media-for-under-15-year-olds/