Starting next year, Greece plans to restrict social media usage for anyone younger than 15. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis shared this update via a TikTok video, highlighting issues like heightened anxiety, disrupted sleep patterns, and platforms' intentionally addictive elements as the driving factors behind the policy.
The country has already taken steps to address children's excessive digital exposure by prohibiting mobile devices in educational settings earlier this year. Although Mitsotakis avoided specifying particular networks, he expressed worries over young users feeling inadequate due to peer comparisons and being deeply affected by virtual feedback.
Mitsotakis noted that 'Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative.' He added confidence that it would inspire others and emphasized the ambition to encourage the European Union to adopt comparable measures.
According to coverage in The New York Times, Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou explained that tech firms will face legal obligations to enforce the age limits through user verification processes. Non-compliance could result in penalties under the European Union's Digital Services Act. Additionally, guardians must install a government-supported application named Kids Wallet, which links to a child's gadget to prevent entry. Officials continue to refine the implementation specifics.
The prime minister acknowledged potential upset among the nation's youth but pointed to strong backing from grown-ups, as indicated by a February survey from ALCO. This move aligns with recent actions in places like Indonesia, Austria, and Australia, where analogous prohibitions have been enacted over the past year. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is exploring stricter controls on social media for those below 16.