Greece becomes first EU country to impose restrictions on minors’ access to social media

Greece becomes first EU country to impose social media restrictions on minors

Greece is expected to become the first country in the European Union to impose direct restrictions on the use of social networks by minors.

A new bill, expected to pass parliament in the coming weeks, aims to ban access to platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook for children under the age of 15. According to this proposal, any attempt to access social networks from devices used by children will be automatically blocked.

This will be made possible through a state-run app called “Kids Wallet,” which will be installed on mobile phone devices and linked to the Greek civil registry to verify the user’s age. But the bill doesn’t stop there. It also extends to the 15 to 18 age group, restricting access to platforms that sell prohibited products to minors, such as alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or adult content.

The system works using algorithms that filter access and content based on the user’s age, without directly interfering with the servers of technology companies. The goal of this bill is to impose greater control over how minors use technology and limit their exposure to potentially harmful and violent content.

Instead of relying on self-declaration of age, Greece is trying to build a system where protection comes from the device itself and the digital infrastructure, giving parents and the state a more active role in the process. European Union officials are expected to visit Athens to oversee the implementation of the project and share experiences that could serve as a model for other member states.

Some children’s rights organizations and parents have welcomed the initiative as a necessary step towards controlling the influence of social networks, while other groups, including opposition critics, have raised concerns about freedom of expression and issues of personal data surveillance.