Greece is entering the process of implementing a new strict framework that limits access to social media for children under 15 years of age, with a full effect on January 1, 2027. In one of the most ambitious interventions for the protection of minors in the digital environment, unveiled by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself, a cycle of discussions has opened that leads to a single conclusion: that the uncontrolled use of social media and their exposure to the world of an online environment without rules, distances children from a natural and human environment.
The regulation is part of the overall European strategy for child safety on the internet and is directly linked to the Digital Services Act, which shapes the operating rules of digital platforms at the European level. Union.
The intervention, as emphasized by the ministers Akis Skertsos (State), Adonis Georgiadis (Health) and Dimitris Papastergiou (Digital Governance) during the presentation of the framework at the recent press conference held at the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, does not come to fill a theoretical gap, but to respond to an already established reality: the extensive presence of children on the internet and especially on social media, where daily exposure to content and interactions creates risks that are now clearly recorded.
From 2027, minors under 15 years of age will not be able to use popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. However, the implementation of the measure will not be sudden or horizontal, as there is no automatic deletion of existing accounts, but a gradual adaptation process.
A central pillar of the new system is the development and mandatory use of reliable age verification mechanisms. The platforms themselves are called upon to implement technological tools that will ensure that users meet the age limit. Of particular importance is the re-verification process, through which accounts that have declared false information will be identified and will be excluded from use.
The responsibility for implementation is thus transferred mainly to the platforms themselves, which must not only control but also prevent-block access by minors under 15 years of age.
The role of the state remains crucial, but is mainly focused on supervision and coordination. In Greece, the implementation is monitored by EETT as the Digital Services Coordinator, the National Regulatory Authority and the Personal Data Protection Authority. In the event of violations, the Greek authorities activate the European control mechanism under the Digital Services Act, which undertakes the evaluation and imposition of sanctions.
The contribution of the Ministry of Digital Governance is also crucial, as it has the central coordination of the strategy, which was recently presented by Dimitris Papastergiou, the Minister of State, Akis Skertsos and the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis. Under the responsibility of Mr. Papastergiou, a coherent model is being promoted that combines technological tools, regulatory intervention and strengthening of parental supervision. In this context, the development of KidsWallet, an application that functions as a means of age verification and a control tool for parents, is also included. At the same time, the Greek side is promoting the discussion at the European level on the establishment of a single “digital age of majority”.
“With the initiative and clear political will of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece has placed the issue of protecting minors from digital addiction at the top of the European agenda. Establishing an age limit of 15 for access to social media is a crucial and mature choice, which sets clear rules and shapes a safer digital environment.
"We will not cut off the internet", as children ask me with fear, but we have a responsibility to help minors grow up in a balanced way, in a world that is both analog and digital. In recent years, we have implemented a substantial digital revolution in the citizen-state relationship. Today we are moving on to the next step: a second digital revolution focused on the new generation. In this context, Greece is the first EU country to integrate the age verification mechanism into Kids Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet. This is an intervention that cannot be only national, but requires coordination at the European level. In this direction, Greece is the first
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