Greece To Ban Social Media For Under-15s From 2027 As PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis Cites Anxiety, Poor Sleep And Addictive Platforms

Greece will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 starting January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday. He pointed to rising anxiety, sleep problems and the addictive design of online platforms as key reasons behind the move.

In a video message addressed to young people, Mitsotakis said children spending long hours in front of screens do not allow their minds to rest and face growing pressure from constant comparison and online comments.

Parents Raise Concerns Over Sleep And Anxiety

The Greek prime minister said he had spoken with many parents who reported that their children do not sleep well, become anxious easily and spend long hours on their phones.

An opinion poll by ALCO published in February showed about 80% of those surveyed approved of a ban. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers’ screen time.

Greece Aims To Lead Europe On Social Media Rules

“Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative,” Mitsotakis said. “I am certain, however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well.”

Slovenia, Britain, Austria and Spain have also said they are working on similar bans after Australia became the first country in the world to block access to children under 16 last year.

Australia First To Enforce Strict Social Media Ban

Australia in December became the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.

The ban comes amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children’s health and safety.

Countries Tighten Rules On Social Media Access

A landmark law forced major social media platforms to block minors under 16 from December 10, 2025, one of the world’s toughest regulations targeting major tech platforms.

Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million).

Austria And Brazil Move Towards Stricter Controls

Austria will ban social media for children up to the age of 14, the conservative-led, three-party government said on March 27. Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler and junior digitisation minister Alexander Proell said draft legislation for the ban would be finalised by June.

Brazil’s Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, which requires minors under 16 to link their social media accounts to a legal guardian and bans addictive platform features such as infinite scroll, came into force on March 17.

Britain Explores Ban And Safety Trials

Britain is considering an Australia-style ban on social media and tighter AI chatbots safety rules for children under 16 as early as this year, technology minister Liz Kendall said in February.

Social media bans, curfews and app time limits will be tested in the homes of 300 teenagers to gauge the impact on children’s sleep, family life and schoolwork, the government said on March 24.

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