Greece to ban social media for under-15s from next year
Greece Aims to Restrict Social Media Access for Minors in 2024
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has revealed Greece’s intention to limit social media usage for children under 15, positioning the nation as a new frontier in European efforts to curb youth engagement with online platforms. The initiative, set to take effect in January 2024, targets issues such as heightened anxiety and sleep disturbances linked to digital activity, alongside the perceived influence of social media’s engineered appeal.
Global Trends in Youth Digital Regulation
Australia pioneered similar measures in December 2023, mandating platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to remove accounts of users under 16 or face significant penalties. France, Austria, and Spain have since joined the movement, while the UK evaluates its own proposal through a public consultation. Ireland and Denmark are also exploring comparable strategies.
“Many young people tell me they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online,” Mitsotakis stated in a TikTok video. He highlighted concerns raised by parents about children’s poor sleep, elevated anxiety, and persistent phone dependency.
Despite the government’s emphasis on the necessity of the rule, social media firms contend that comprehensive bans are impractical. They argue such measures could inadvertently isolate vulnerable teenagers and may not effectively address the root causes of digital overuse. Reddit has already initiated legal challenges against Australia’s framework.
EU-Wide Collaboration and Regulatory Framework
On Wednesday, Mitsotakis outlined additional steps, including mandatory age verification for all users under 15 across platforms, a unified European ban for this age group, and periodic age checks every six months. He also expressed support for a broader EU initiative to strengthen protections for young users.
“The addictive design of certain applications, and a business model based on capturing your attention—on how long you stay in front of a screen—takes away your innocence and your freedom. That has to stop somewhere,” he said, framing the policy as a balance between technological benefits and adolescent well-being.
Mental Health Debate Intensifies
Recent months have seen a surge in discussions about the impact of social media on mental health. In March, Meta and YouTube faced legal scrutiny in a U.S. trial where a woman’s childhood social media dependency was linked to the platforms’ intentional design. Jurors ruled that the companies had created addictive systems harming user mental health, though both Meta and Google disputed the verdict, vowing to appeal.
Meta emphasized that teenage mental health is multifaceted, asserting it cannot be solely attributed to a single app. The ruling underscores growing pressure on tech giants to adapt their practices to safeguard younger audiences.
