Greece plans to prohibit individuals under the age of 15 from using social media starting in 2027.

      Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis revealed the ban on children's access to social media in a TikTok video on Wednesday, which will take effect on 1 January 2027. Enforcement will rely on a state-mandated app installed on all devices. A February poll indicates that approximately 80% of Greeks support this measure.

      Greece is set to prohibit children under 15 from using social media platforms, with the regulation coming into effect on 1 January 2027. Mitsotakis made this announcement in a TikTok video, a strategic choice to communicate with teenagers directly before they are barred from the platform. The legal framework is anticipated to be established by mid-2026.

      This ban will be enforced without the need for parental consent, eliminating a loophole that has undermined similar laws elsewhere. Enforcement will be facilitated through a state-mandated application on all personal devices, giving the law a technical rather than purely regulatory enforcement.

      The scope of the ban includes protection from online gambling, promotion of alcohol and tobacco, and exposure to explicit content. Mitsotakis addressed his young audience, stating, “Our goal is not to disconnect you from technology but to tackle addiction to certain applications that threaten your innocence and freedom.”

      The announcement has been in preparation for several weeks. In March, Mitsotakis mentioned at a Bloomberg event in Athens that the evidence regarding mental health impacts was "unambiguous" and highlighted the damaging effects of "addictive scrolling."

      The TikTok video confirmed the ban and outlined the implementation timeline. The Greek government has already taken steps towards this ban, such as prohibiting mobile phones in schools and creating parental control platforms to limit teen screen time.

      A poll conducted by ALCO in February revealed that about 80% of the surveyed Greeks supported the ban.

      Greece joins a small number of countries that have progressed from stating intent to enacting formal legislation on child social media access. Australia was the first nation to implement such a ban, prohibiting access for children under 16 in 2025. Following this, Slovenia, Britain, Austria, and Spain have announced their efforts towards similar legislation. Mitsotakis framed Greece's initiative as an effort to influence European Union policy, stating, “Our aim is to encourage the European Union to follow this direction,” while asserting that Greece is among the pioneers in this initiative, with confidence that it will not be the last.