According to Reuters, the Greek parliament passed a law on the 23rd prohibiting children under 15 years of age from using social media platforms. This ban will come into effect on January 1, 2027.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that social media platforms have about two and a half months to develop a system that can verify users' ages while also protecting their privacy.
Greece is one of the seven countries in the EU that are exploring age verification programs together with the European Commission.
The Greek government stated that the initiative is aimed at helping parents control their children from staring at screens for long periods of time. Staring at screens for too long can lead to insufficient sleep and difficulty in concentrating, as well as reducing the time that children have for interacting with friends.
Australia became the first country to pass legislation restricting social media use by minors last year. France also passed a similar bill, but its constitutional council rejected the bill in August.
