Greece passes social media ban for children under 15 from 2027

Greece's ban follows a measure announced earlier this year, according to Engadget. Parliament has now turned that proposal into law, setting a minimum age of 15 for social media access.

The stated aim is to protect children from online harms. Al Jazeera places Greece within a growing international push to tighten rules on children's online activity amid fears of addiction.

Infobae, carrying an EFE report dated October 22, said parliament approved the law that Thursday. The Next Web also placed approval late on October 22.

The reports disagree on the precise date of passage. Telegraaf said parliament adopted the bill on Friday, October 23, while Adda247 Current Affairs also gave October 23 as the approval date.

The bill passed with votes from governing party lawmakers, according to DW Türkçe. Its central restriction applies to all children under 15, with implementation scheduled for January 1, 2027.

Coverage published on October 23 also described obligations for the companies. ARD Tagesschau reported that platforms would have to check users' ages, while Expressen said platforms that failed to comply would face fines.

The law has passed, but the ban is not yet in effect. The January 1, 2027 start date is reported by Infobae, The Next Web and DW Türkçe.

Age verification is central to implementation. According to TechRadar, platforms must verify users' ages, and the government is pointing to its Kids Wallet app as a privacy-friendly option.

The next practical test is how platforms put age checks in place before January 1. TechRadar raises the prospect that verification could affect every user, not only children.

The supplied coverage does not specify the size of the fines or fully explain how the checks will operate. Those details will matter for understanding how the restriction is enforced and what users must provide to prove their age.