Greece will ban kids beneath the age 15 from utilizing social media beginning subsequent yr. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement in a video posted to , during which he referenced nervousness, sleep issues and addictive design options as causes for the ban.
Greece has been proactive in its strategy to tackling extreme display screen time for kids, having already banned cellphones in colleges in 2024. Whereas the PM selected to not identify any platforms, he stated he was involved about kids evaluating themselves to others on social media and taking on-line feedback to coronary heart.
“Greece can be among the many first nations to take such an initiative,” Mitsotakis stated. “I’m sure, nonetheless, that it’ll not be the final. Our purpose is to push the European Union on this path as effectively.”
As reported by , Greece’s digital governance minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, stated that social media corporations can be legally required to uphold the brand new restrictions by verifying the ages of their customers. Failure to conform would result in fines beneath the EU’s Digital Providers Act. Dad and mom would additionally must obtain an app referred to as Children Pockets, backed by the state, that might be paired to their youngster’s gadget and block entry. The finer particulars of how the ban can be enforced are nonetheless being labored out by decision-makers.
The PM conceded that he would probably incur the wrath of his nation’s younger kids, however there’s widespread for the plans from Greece’s grownup inhabitants, in accordance with an opinion ballot revealed by in February. Greece follows within the footsteps of , and , all of which have launched comparable bans of their very own within the final yr. The UK can also be bringing in tighter restrictions on kids beneath the age of 16 utilizing social media.
