10.04.2026 12:59:00
Дата публикации
The ban is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. Authorities explain the measure by pointing to rising anxiety, sleep problems, and the addictive design of online platforms.
According to a public opinion poll conducted in February, about 80% of respondents support the restrictions.
Previously, the Greek government banned mobile phones in schools and created parental control platforms to limit screen time for teenagers.
By introducing the ban, Greece hopes to encourage the European Union to adopt similar measures across all member states. Responsibility for enforcement is expected to be placed on internet platforms themselves.
The government acknowledges it cannot yet force companies to verify users’ ages, but recommends using mechanisms already established in the EU and calls on parents to assist in these initiatives.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging coordinated EU action, arguing that national measures alone are insufficient to protect minors from internet addiction.
In his letter, he proposed establishing a pan‑European “digital age of majority” at 15, mandating age verification and regular checks for all platforms, and creating a unified system of enforcement and fines, calling for its introduction by the end of 2026.
In December, Australia became the first country to ban social networks for children under 16. Similar measures are being considered in other EU countries, the UK, Turkey, and have already been introduced in some US states.
After the Australian law came into force, young people did not abandon social networks but simply found ways to bypass restrictions.
Kazakhstan is also preparing a bill to ban registration of users under 16 in social networks, with messengers as an exception.
In early March, 400 scientists from MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, ETH Zurich, and other universities signed an open letter opposing mandatory age verification. They argue that current methods pose excessive privacy risks and are easily circumvented.
Experts note that age verification is becoming a global trend, but its advantages and disadvantages have not yet been confirmed by research.
According to a public opinion poll conducted in February, about 80% of respondents support the restrictions.
Previously, the Greek government banned mobile phones in schools and created parental control platforms to limit screen time for teenagers.
By introducing the ban, Greece hopes to encourage the European Union to adopt similar measures across all member states. Responsibility for enforcement is expected to be placed on internet platforms themselves.
The government acknowledges it cannot yet force companies to verify users’ ages, but recommends using mechanisms already established in the EU and calls on parents to assist in these initiatives.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging coordinated EU action, arguing that national measures alone are insufficient to protect minors from internet addiction.
In his letter, he proposed establishing a pan‑European “digital age of majority” at 15, mandating age verification and regular checks for all platforms, and creating a unified system of enforcement and fines, calling for its introduction by the end of 2026.
In December, Australia became the first country to ban social networks for children under 16. Similar measures are being considered in other EU countries, the UK, Turkey, and have already been introduced in some US states.
After the Australian law came into force, young people did not abandon social networks but simply found ways to bypass restrictions.
Kazakhstan is also preparing a bill to ban registration of users under 16 in social networks, with messengers as an exception.
In early March, 400 scientists from MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, ETH Zurich, and other universities signed an open letter opposing mandatory age verification. They argue that current methods pose excessive privacy risks and are easily circumvented.
Experts note that age verification is becoming a global trend, but its advantages and disadvantages have not yet been confirmed by research.
