Greece’s parliament has passed a ban on social media for children under 15, and it takes effect on January 1, 2027. From that date, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will have to verify users’ ages in Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said companies have about two and a half months to build an age check that protects privacy.
How the vote went
The bill passed early on Friday, October 23. The governing New Democracy party carried it on its own votes, according to To Vima. PASOK abstained, and the other opposition parties voted against it. AFP likewise reported that no other party backed the bill.
Which apps Greece’s under-15 ban covers
The law initially applies to Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. To Vima reports that other platforms may be added later. It does not bar children from using the internet, and it doesn’t cover digital communication services broadly.
How the age check is meant to work
The verification system is still being built, so the details below describe the government’s plan. Kids Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet are among the possible ways to prove age, and no single app will be mandatory.
According to To Vima, the system confirms that a user meets the age threshold using a digital token. The government says this happens without sending the person’s identity details to the platform. That is the government’s own description of its design. Our sources don’t say how Instagram, Facebook or TikTok plan to comply.
The privacy stakes are real. Age verification can turn into ID checks for every user, not just children. Whether Greece’s token approach avoids that will depend on how it is built and how the platforms adopt it.
Companies that don’t comply face harsh penalties, according to AFP. The reports we read did not give a figure.
Greece joins a wider push
Reuters reports that Greece is one of seven EU countries working with the European Commission on age verification. Australia was the first to restrict minors’ access to social media. France passed a similar law, but its Constitutional Council struck it down in August.
Meta is also facing limits on teen use from another direction. A Meta settlement would cap teen accounts at two hours a day.
Sources: Reuters, via eKathimerini, AFP, via Al Jazeera, To Vima
